Blur
by Shmeeko
Summary: Wally stared at the stranger for a long, silent minute.  Neither boy looked away or breathed a word during that time, they simply remained rooted in their respective positions, sizing one another up, not quite sure what to think or how to proceed.
1. Chapter 1

It had something to do with business – or maybe it was something influenced by friendship, Wally couldn't be sure. He hadn't really paid attention to the reasons _why _they were visiting the Bruce Wayne, the ginger had a hard enough time believing his mild-mannered uncle was good friends with a famous billionaire. It seemed too farfetched, like something out of a cliche movie. Regardless, when Barry had asked his young nephew if he wanted to come along, Wally had taken less than two seconds to think of his answer and respond.

However, after spending some time in the manor with the aforementioned billionaire, it became clear that some events of this visit were off limits to him. He was strictly a tag-along. He was not allowed to participate in the latter half of Uncle Barry's business excursion. In fact, his involvement in the meeting had been quite minimal. Barry had introduced his nephew to the billionaire, who talked with him kindly for a while, asking questions and making conversation.

_What grade are you in?_

_So that makes you how old?_

_Do you visit with your uncle often?_

_I heard you do well in school, is that true?_

They were all simple, small-talk questions that were meant to make him feel important. While he certainly didn't mind the attention, the youngster felt a twinge of unease around the man – like he was being interrogated. The billionaire looked at him in a way that made him feel nervous, like Wally was supposed to _do_ something, though he didn't know what. When Bruce Wayne was satisfied with the amount of answers he'd gotten from the young ginger, he stood straight and suggested that he and Barry head into his study.

The imposing man told the child to make himself at home while the two adults excused themselves to discuss something a little less "appropriate for young ears."

So while Uncle Barry and the billionaire stole off to trade secrets, Wally was left sitting on the gargantuan couch, feeling smaller than usual and under the observant stare of the family butler. Wally met the elder's stare with a curious one of his own.

He felt significantly less nervous when the old man – Alfred – gave him a small, friendly smile.

"Would you like something to eat, Master Wallace? A snack, perhaps?"

With his voice stuck inexplicably in his throat, the boy could only nod. The butler gave a little bow and vanished down the hallway, leaving Wally sitting alone in silence.

"_Wally, Bruce is kind of...well, he's a very professional person. It's probably in your best interest to stay out of trouble while we're in the Wayne Manor, okay?"_

Honestly, Wally really did intend to stay out of trouble – he didn't want to upset Mr. Wayne or his uncle. Then again, he didn't expect he would be sitting alone for an extended period of time in a giant house that was just begging to be explored. His notoriously short attention span had him restless and fidgety within minutes. Barry should have known. Alfred could have sprinted to the kitchen and back, it still wouldn't have been fast enough to keep Wally from pushing off the couch and venturing further into the manor.

It wasn't long before the boy came upon a grand staircase that lead up to a second floor and more places to discover. Wally tilted his head back to stare up at the balcony, startled to find a pair of eyes staring down at him from between the banisters above. The eyes were bright blue and situated on a face that looked younger than his own – a face which was capped with neatly combed black hair.

Wally stared at the stranger for a long, silent minute. Neither boy looked away or breathed a word during that time, they simply remained rooted in their respective positions, sizing one another up, not quite sure what to think or how to proceed. It was the elder boy who lost his patience first, uncomfortable in the tense silence. He took a small step back in hopes to get a better view of the kid and spoke to him slowly and clearly, being unusually cautious.

"Hello?"

The boy suddenly pulled away from the banister and vanished, leaving only the light taps of his footsteps as evidence that he was ever there.

"Hey, wait!"

Wally raced up the stairs, only managing to catch a glimpse of the child as he vanished around a corner. Without any thought as to what he was going to do or why he was doing it, Wally sprinted after him.

He quickly discovered that the kid was fast and agile - but then again, so was Wally. He prided himself in being the fastest kid in his class, partially thanks to the many hours he spent running about in the yard imagining he was The Flash.

Wally steadily gained on the dark-haired stranger as the pair of boys ran rampant through the halls of the second floor. At some point in their chase – probably the point where Wally realized he was close enough to tackle the kid to the floor – the ginger boy found he was enjoying himself. Their encounter had become a game.

For a while, no matter how close Wally got to the stranger, he never made much of an effort to reach out and catch his target. What was more: it seemed the dark-haired boy had also started considering their chase to be more whimsical than serious. He had started laughing as he ran, taking corners as quickly as he could without running into walls and ducking into various rooms in a half-hearted effort to confuse his pursuer.

In one of these rooms, the pair had paused their game with a large desk between them. The younger boy stood on one side, breathing a little heavier than his elder impromptu playmate and wearing a mischievous smile.

"Where're you gonna go?" teased Wally, shifting his weight from one foot to the other as he waited for the boy to pick a direction to run, confident he'd corner the kid.

Instead of choosing a side, the dark-haired boy sprang atop the desk with a laugh and launched himself _over_ his ginger pursuer, giggling as he gracefully flipped in the air. He stuck the landing perfectly, turned just enough to stick out his tongue in Wally's general direction, then raced out of the room. It took the ginger a second or so to get over his amazement, then he shot off after the kid.

After being thoroughly wowed by the child's acrobatic prowess, Wally was determined to better the boy in his own way. He couldn't exactly flip himself over people's heads with such confidence, but he did take pride in his natural build as a runner. He would will himself a little faster at times in order to pass the boy and stop him from taking a certain turn. In other rooms where the blue-eyed boy could put an object like a bed or a desk between them, they both noticed that the younger of the two took the time to catch his breath. He would huff, his face flushed, while Wally simply stared with a smug look that said '_I can do this for hours.'_

Though perhaps 'hours' was a bit ambitious, as Wally did eventually begin to tire. At that point, the younger kid looked exhausted and was red in the face, but too stubborn to simply admit defeat. So Wally decided to put an end to their game. With a winning grin, he pushed himself faster – like the final stretch of the junior track-and-field 200 metre dash – and tackled the younger boy to the ground from behind.

The pair collapsed to the floor in a heap of tangled limbs. In the midst their tumble, the younger boy somehow seized their momentum – he grabbed Wally's collar, forced them to roll a few feet together before he perched himself atop his senior. He was panting, sweaty and quivering with fatigue, but he had gained his own small victory: the ginger was pinned beneath him, looking bewildered and unsure how exactly he'd ended up underneath the smaller boy.

For a while, the two stared at one another, though this time, their expressions appeared equally flushed and wore matching grins. Again, it was Wally who broke the silence.

"Hi!" he chirped.

"Hi," returned the boy quietly, his smile becoming shy.

"My name's Wally, who're you?"

"Richard, but everyone calls me Dick."

There was a pause between them, but it was not a silence that was heavy in weight or lasted very long.

"Hi, Dick," Wally beamed.

"Hi, Wally," Dick's smile grew to match his own once more.

"Are you boys quite finished?"

The pair flinched at the sudden voice, but remained as they were – one sitting atop the other. Richard looked up to see the butler standing just a few paces down the hall, a silver tray in his hands. Wally had to tilt his head back to see the same image flipped upside down and giggled. The two exchanged a look, then went back to staring at the butler.

"Would you like your snacks, now?"

Wally shoved the boy off him and tried to scramble to his feet. Dick was far more graceful, and he rolled smoothly up from the floor like a trained acrobat. Both children brushed themselves off sheepishly, stood side by side and grinned their matching grins up at the elder.

* * *

><p>At the insistence of the younger boy, the pair ate their cheese sandwiches in Dick's room, sitting cross legged and facing one another on his bed, the silver tray in between the two of them and balancing not only their plates but their glasses as well, which were filled with cold milk. Alfred – the butler – had expressed his distaste at the children eating on the bed, but didn't seem to have the heart to say no to those big blue eyes. He'd left the two to their meal, if only to avoid watching the mess they would undoubtedly make of Master Richard's bedspread.<p>

"So you live here with Mr. Wayne?"

Richard nodded, his mouth full.

"That's so cool! But doesn't it get lonely in this big ol' mansion with just the three of you? Is he your dad?"

Dick said nothing for an uncomfortably long period of time, looking at the ginger with a slightly saddened expression. Slowly, his eyes fell downwards and his shoulders slouched as if suddenly put under an enormous weight. Wally stared, unsure what to say.

"He's not...not my dad...no," mumbled the boy, swallowing with difficulty. "My...my dad..." Dick trailed off, holding a sandwich diamond loosely in his hands. His young face twisted into an expression of sorrow. He looked like he was about to cry.

Suddenly more empathetic than he was used to, Wally shook his head, leaned across the tray and put a hand on the younger boy's shoulder.

"Hey. Don't worry about it. Whatever it is, you don't gotta talk about it, okay?" The ginger offered Dick a reassuring smile, whose blue eyes could only linger on his new friend's face for a moment before they fell back to the bedspread below. Wally took in a breath and leaned back, deciding to take the pressure off his junior and onto himself, in the hopes that it would make him feel better. "My dad yells at me a lot. He thinks I make all sorts of mistakes on purpose, that I mess everything up just for attention. I don't, though; sometimes I'm just clumsy or get confused. Honestly, I really try to impress him, but it's almost impossible."

It was Wally's turn to give the sheets below a good, hard stare. In contrast to this, Dick had raised his eyes and was now studying the green-eyed boy with a curious expression.

"Mom's not as bad, but she doesn't say anything when he's yelling, you know? It's like she doesn't want to get involved, or like she's thinking the same thing deep down inside. I know I tend to goof up on the things I do now and again, but I never do it to try and make their lives harder, or embarrass them, or to get attention. I just wanna make 'em happy, y'know?" The ginger absently chewed on his sandwich, propping his elbow on his knee and resting his chin in the palm of his hand. "Aunt Iris understands – Uncle Barry, too. I think that's why they don't mind having me over so much. In the summer I spend more time with them than I do at home, and every other weekend or so, my uncle will come down to get me and we'll all go do something fun for the weekend, like go to a fair or the zoo or..."

Dick was leaning forward slightly, his entire attention on the older boy as he spoke, who seemed somewhat distant and lost in memories. His blue eyes were wide and filled with concern. He hadn't known the fire-headed kid for long, but what he did know of him made this sadness feel uncharacteristic.

"When I mess up or make a mistake with them, it's just that...A mistake, an accident. "Happens to the best of us," they tell me, which is nicer than what dad says." The boy lowered his voice and shook a finger at the silver tray between them. "What do you think you're doing? What made you think this was a good idea? Can't you think things through for once, Wallace! Stop being so immature! Grow up already! You're far too old for this nonsense!"

Dick couldn't help a lighthearted chuckle. The sound was pleasing and made the ginger smile, despite the solemn subject.

"I'm ten, y'know, and not a rocket scientist. Kids are allowed to make mistakes, right?"

The black haired boy nodded, still smiling.

"Exactly. I'm just a kid. I'm still learning how to...not be a kid, I guess. I'm still growing up. Aunt Iris tells me that all the time. Why can't mom and dad see what _they _do in me? Uncle Barry thinks I'm smart, he says I have talent, that one day I'm gonna grow up and do incredible things. Aunt Iris tells me I'm a free spirit and a good kid, that some day soon mom and dad will open their eyes and see "what a treasure they have, and how lucky they are." But I don't wanna wait for that...I want that now. I want them to...I dunno, approve of me? Compliment me? Tell me they're happy with who I am for a change? Is that asking too much?"

"No," said Dick, and Wally merely grunted in response, finishing off the rest of his sandwich with a long sigh.

"I'm sorry, Dick, I didn't mean to complain so much...it's just..." there was a pause, during which Wally fixed the boy with a careful stare. He studied his young friend carefully for a few short seconds, then continued. "You're really easy to talk to. I like you."

"It's fine," said the boy, "I don't mind. You're the first friend I've had in a while."

Wally beamed at the use of the term 'friend.' He was eager to repeat it – to solidify it as something concrete and practically tangible between them.

"Good. Then we're friends from now on, okay?"

Dick nodded eagerly, raising his hand to meet Wally's in a powerful high five – their first high five as friends. It seemed like a big milestone.

Suddenly, caught up in this new, warm energy running between them, Dick rolled onto his knees and spoke with a renewed excitement.

"Hey, do you wanna see something cool?"

Wally didn't miss a beat.

"Do I ever!"

The two tumbled from the bed and Dick lead the way out into the hall. They kept pace with one another as they ran down the hallway to the staircase. Dick checked through the bars for anyone standing below, then descended the stairs by sliding down on the railing. Wally followed his actions exactly, teetering uncertainly at the top but managing to keep his balance all the way down.

Together they navigated through the halls, coming to a stop in front of a large grandfather clock. Dick stood before it, easily half the height of the antique that swung its pendulum slowly and evenly, temporarily mesmerizing the two boys as they watched. For a long time, Dick said nothing.

"What is this?" Wally prompted curiously.

"Bruce's clock," said Dick, "but listen!"

Both boys leaned in close to the clock as the younger gave a few solid knocks onto the wood. The sound reverberated inside the antique and faded. It was then that Wally realized he could still hear the knocking – distant and muffled, like an echo, behind the clock.

"There's something back there," Wally said, his voice suddenly hushed – feeling like this was some big secret he wasn't supposed to talk about out loud.

"I know, but I can't figure out how to get it open."

"Do you think there's some sort of secret switch?"

"Maybe. I've tried moving it, but it won't budge."

To demonstrate, Dick whipped around to the side of the clock and began to push against it with all his might. Without being asked, Wally went around to the opposite side and did the best he could to help, pulling from his side. Even with their combined efforts, the clock didn't budge – true to Dick's claims. It just kept swinging that pendulum, unaffected.

"Well, start looking for a switch or something! This is a big, crazy mansion, there's bound to be some cool secret passages," Wally exclaimed, already running his hands over the wood and looking for an imperfection.

"I thought you only find secret passageways in old castles...or in the movies..."

"Shh. This is practically a castle, don't spoil the fun!"

Dick pressed his lips together and helped his red-headed comrade examine the clock. They pulled open the door and peered inside, making an effort not to be whacked by the pendulum as they snooped around the clock.

"What do you boys think you're doing?"

The voice that made the pair simultaneously flinch was not Alfred's, but the lighter, confused tone of Barry Allen. The pair turned guiltily, shutting the face of the clock behind them and standing side by side. Dick stared unflinchingly at his shoes, while Wally mustered the most innocent expression he could manage and tried explaining.

"We were just seeing how the clock worked, is all..." It was then that Wally noticed Bruce Wayne standing just over the shoulder of his uncle, who peered at the two with an expression of stone. Barry followed his nephew's stare to meet the eyes of the billionaire. The two said nothing, nor did the move in any way that would signify communication, but Wally still felt as if the two were talking to one another.

"Well," Barry said at last, "we should be heading back, Wally. Iris will be expecting us for dinner soon."

"Okay."

Wally took a few steps towards his relative, only to jump when small hands suddenly latched onto his arm. He turned, confused, to look at Dick. The dark-haired boy still hadn't lifted his gaze from his shoes, but both his hands gripped tightly at his forearm. From what wally could see of the younger's expression, his lips were pursed and his brows arched upwards.

_Don't you get lonely in this big ol' mansion?_

_You're the first friend I've had in a while..._

Wally suddenly understood.

"Hey, Uncle Barry, Mr. Wayne?"

Both men were already staring at the young pair.

"Is it okay if I um...if I come visit Dick again soon? We're friends now," said Wally, matter-of-factly, "but we don't go to school together, and we gotta hang out some time..."

Again the two adults exchanged a look and the lighthearted smile of Barry made the young red-head feel a little more confident about his question. Then his green eyes fell upon Bruce. The large man was staring down at Wally with an unrelenting and unreadable expression. His sharp blue stare flicked from one child to the next, his expression never changing.

After what felt like an eternity, Bruce broke the silence.

"I don't see the harm in it."

Wally breathed a sigh of relief that seemed to purge his entire body of tension. He turned back towards Dick, who was smiling shyly, but looked pleased with the answer nevertheless. Wally lifted his free hand, and Richard met it with a high-five almost instantaneously.

With his arm released, the ginger was free to return to his Uncle's side, who thanked Bruce for his hospitality and began herding his nephew towards the door. Bruce followed to see them out, shadowed by the young Richard who had yet to stop smiling.

* * *

><p><strong>Hello Everyone!<strong>

**I said I'd be writing oneshots for this fandom for a while, and I lied. This is fo sho not a oneshot. I suppose if you're in denial and really eager to be that way, you _could _read this as a oneshot, just don't be upset if I happen to tack on more chapters.**

**So. For now, the story centers around Wally and Dick, but honestly, there's just as much Wally and Barry.**

**This fiasco will incorporate some things from the Flash comics, the YJ show/comic storyline and my over active imagination. I apologize in advance if any of these offends you.**

**Thank you for taking the time to read, I really appreciate it. If you could just click el review button down yonder, I would be even_ more_ grateful. I would love to hear your thoughts, whether it be crit or praise, ideas or suggestions. I read every one, and am likely to respond to some, too.**

**Regardless, you're all fantastic people.**

**Thank you for reading this far,**

**Toodles~**

**Shmee.**


	2. Chapter 2

It had startled the young couple when the phone rang. They had been contently wrapped in one another's arms, sitting on the couch in the dark and staring out the window, watching the bright flashes of lightning and listening to the thunder as it rattled the glass.

The storm was being credited as one of the largest they'd had in the past decade, the cloud cover spreading across of most of North America, though some places were hit harder by a super cell than others. Central city was in the middle of a power outage, which is why the ringing of a phone had been so unexpected.

"What is that?"

"A phone."

"Yes, dear," Iris gave her husband a lighthearted whack for his wit. "But where? Whose?"

"Yours, I think." Barry untangled himself from the woman's grip and rose, crossing the living room to where Iris's phone vibrated against the table, ringing loudly and obnoxiously into the silence. "It's your brother," he said, reading the display. He handed the cell phone off to his wife, who sat up straight as she flipped it open.

"Hey Rudy, how ar-"

Iris suddenly stopped short, face turning up to her husband with a puzzled look as he came around the couch to sit at her side.

"Mary?" she said, "Mary what's wrong? Yes, it's me, what's going..."

Barry watched his lover's expression pale with worry.

"He's gone? Gone where?"

"No, no, we haven't seen him...you know I'd tell you if we did."

"Of course, I'll let you know if anything changes."

Slowly, Iris closed her phone and cradled the device delicately in her hands. The tension in the air was thick and Barry felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. He had a pretty good guess as to what had gone wrong.

"Rudy and Wally got into a fight again," Iris bit her lip, only confirming what the man had assumed. "Mary called to say he'd run out hours ago. They don't know where he is, or how they can contact him, or if he's coming home...She's worried now that the storm's gotten so bad..." The woman lifted her stare to her husband, her lips pressed together in a fine line, her eyes brimming with the requests she didn't need to make.

"I'll find him," Barry promised, placing his larger hands over hers and giving them a reassuring squeeze. He rose from the couch and jogged up the stairs. When he returned, he was wearing a familiar golden ring and in his opposite hand, held his cell phone. "I'll call you in a bit, I may need you to bring the car."

Barry didn't need to explain, they both knew that the kid was sharp – he'd suspect something if the Flash appeared and knew exactly where to take him, if he wasn't already curious as to what the speedster was doing out looking for one runaway in a city full of strays. He would have to show up as a civilian, but finding him as the Flash would save precious time.

Besides, this was something _Barry_ was needed for, not the Flash.

Barry was out in the door in a streak of crimson and a blaze of wind that his lover was so very used to. She went to stand worriedly at the window, staring out into the storm with an expression of sorrow for the child lost in the rain.

* * *

><p>It took him a little over a minute to scour the city completely, and only a few seconds longer to find the fire-haired boy huddled under an apartment overhang near the outskirts of Central. His jeans and sweater were soaked through, his normally wild hair plastered to his skull with water. He looked so <em>small, <em>shivering and alone in the grey. Barry whisked out of his costume, returned it to his ring and jogged at a civilian-pace towards the boy from a little ways down the street.

"Wally!" he called, and the twelve-year-old lifted his head. He spotted his uncle approaching and did the most peculiar thing.

He _ran_.

Had he known about his Uncle's abilities and identity, he would've known that even the thought of trying to outrun him was preposterous. As the boy took off down an alley, Barry moved a little faster – within reason, of course – until he was going the acceptable speed for a sprinting civilian.

But the boy was quick. It took Barry only a fraction of a second to understand that the pace he'd decided was 'acceptable' would not be enough to catch his nephew. Admittedly, the boy's natural speed was impressive and something he'd obviously worked at to achieve. It was clear that all those track-and-field or cross country trophies were rightfully earned.

It was flattering to come to the realization that the boy worked so hard with his running with aspirations to be like his hero – and unbeknownst to him, his uncle – the Flash.

Still, natural talents aside, Barry couldn't let the boy run off alone into the storm. He applied a little more of his speed and quickly found himself gaining. Before Wally could think to move out of the way, he'd come upon the child from behind and grabbed him in a tight bear hug, lifted him off the concrete and held him there. His nephew kicked and squirmed, but found that the man's grip was firm.

"Let me go, Uncle Barry!" Wally was struggling to sound assertive over the pounding of the rain and the rumble of thunder above.

"Calm down, Wally, what are you running for?"

"I'm not going back there! I'm not going back to him!"

"What are you talking about? Relax!" The boy threw his head back and smacked his uncle solidly in the jaw. The hit barely registered and the pain was gone almost as soon as it had appeared, but Barry cried out nevertheless. "Wally, please!"

He held tightly as the pre-teen struggled himself to exhaustion. Gradually, his squirming became weaker and weaker until he allowed himself to hang limp in his Uncle's arms.

"I'm going to put you down, Wally," Barry said slowly, "Okay? I just want to talk to you."

The boy mumbled something affirmative, and gradually was set back down onto the pavement. He didn't move a muscle and hung his head low, so Barry took him by the shoulders and turned him around.

"Wally, tell me what happened."

The kid's fists clenched at his sides, and instead of answering, he lifted his head and stared his uncle hard in the face. The boy's green eyes were alight with anger and pain, but just as quick to snatch his attention was the dark bruise on his jaw and the split lip.

Rudolph had _hit_ him?

"Did...did he...?"

Barry trailed off, taking the boy's stubborn silence as an answer. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger.

"I'm going to call Iris and tell her to come get us, okay?" as Wally stiffened, Barry was quick to continue, "but you're staying with _us_ for the time being. We will explain it to your parents, but we'll be taking you home and cleaning you up. You're not staying out in this weather all night."

The boy's angry expression began to crack with the quivering of his lower lip. His shoulders began to shake, and even as the phone was ringing Barry swept the boy up into a hug.

"It's okay, kid," he soothed, "it's gonna be okay."

* * *

><p>An hour later, Wally was seated on their couch in a pair of dry sweatpants and an old t-shirt of Barry's. Iris had brought them both hot chocolate, and the ginger wrapped both hands around the mug and stared into the drink with a solemn expression that was unlike him.<p>

In the hallway that was now lit thanks to the return of electricity, the young couple spoke in hushed voices.

"What do we tell Mary and Rudolph?"

"That we're keeping him."

"We can't, Barry."

"We can for the time being. At least until the dust settles between him and Rudolph.."

"And how do you think Rudy is going to take it?"

"_Rudy_ doesn't have a choice. I'm not sending Wally back there right now. Surely you-"

"I feel the exact same way, Barry, but we have to be realistic. If Rudy wants him back, we can't exactly say no."

"We _can."_

"Barry..."

"I'll make the call, Iris."

The woman sighed, brushing some of her hair away from her face. She was quiet for a moment, then slowly allowed herself to smile, bringing her hand up to brush lightly against the side of her husband's face. He leaned into the touch and returned her smile.

"I love you, Barry."

He answered her with a quick kiss, then took her phone from her hand and dialled the number.

"Hey, Mary? It's Barry. Yes, we found him. He's fine, just a little waterlogged. Look – yeah, he didn't get too far – Mary, is Rudolph with you? Can I speak to him?"

Iris's eyes were wide with worry as she leaned in close to better hear the conversation. Her hands, which up until that point and been braced gently against his chest, clenched into fists.

"Rudolph? Yes, it's Barry. Yes, we found your son. The _storm_ didn't hurt him, Rudolph."

There was a long pause as Barry waited for words that just weren't coming.

"Rudolph, we're going to keep Wally here for a few days, okay? I'm...I'm glad you understand, Mr. West. Yes...he's...well, he'll be fine. Of course. I'll tell him. We'll call you tomorrow evening."

Quietly, Barry mumbled a goodbye and snapped the phone shut, letting out a long breath.

"What'd they say?" Iris already knew parts of it, but she wanted details.

"Rudolph thinks it's for the best that he stay here for a while. He wanted me to tell Wally that he's sorry...when he's ready to hear it."

Iris pressed her lips together in that typical thoughtful fashion of hers.

"Rudy is a good guy," she said softly, "he just has a terrible temper...it sometimes gets the better of him...I'm sure Wally knows..."

"That doesn't make it okay, Iris."

"I know, trust me, I know. I just...I want _them_ to be okay."

_'Them'_ being the Wests, Barry concluded. With a sigh, he pulled Iris into a hug and buried his face in her hair. He took in a long breath, finding her scent to be calming.

"I'm sure they will be," he said softly, "but for now..."

They pulled apart and turned the corner, standing briefly in the doorway as they both gave Wally a worried stare. He hadn't moved from his spot on their couch, still staring down into the beverage that had at last stopped steaming. After a universal pause, the boy lifted the mug and took a long drink.

* * *

><p>When Barry came downstairs the next morning, Wally was already awake. He was sitting cross-legged on their couch, a plate holding a single piece of toast balanced on his knee, a second piece was hanging out of the boy's mouth by the corner as he mashed the buttons on the Xbox controller in his hands.<p>

This wasn't Wally's first overnight stay; his uncle's and aunt's place was practically a second home to him. He knew where to find food and knew where his uncle stashed the games – the essentials, he would say. What was a little surprising was that the boy's hair was wet.

"Did you go out this morning?" Barry asked as he entered the room, his eyes finding the window and concluding that it was still raining, albeit much lighter than it had been the previous night.

"Yeah, I went for a run."

The boy was absorbed in his game, so he missed the intrigued expression on his uncle's face. It was unusual for a twelve-year-old boy to do such things as wake up early to go for runs, but then again, Wally wasn't an average pre-teen child. He was academically at the top of his class and participated in state-wide track events. Although, after spending time around the ginger and his happy-go-lucky, playful attitude, one would have troubles believing it.

"Alright then," said the man, "You feeling better?"

Before Wally answered, he finished his game and set down the controller, turning as he actually took a bite from his toast instead of just hanging onto it by his teeth.

"Fine," he said, though his expression was decidedly uncaring and that bruise still looked angry on his face.

"Where were you going?"

"What?"

"Last night. Where did you think you were going to go?"

The boy turned away, but Barry would not let him escape so easily. He crossed the room and sat down beside his nephew.

"I was gonna try and get to Gotham."

"Gotham?" echoed Barry, unsure if he was really all that surprised by this.

"Yeah, I wanted to see Dick again. It's been a while since we've hung out."

"Dick's been busy lately," admitted Barry, though he failed to specify what exactly the "boy wonder" was busy with. It'd been two years since the pair had first met, and despite the distance between them they had remained the best of friends. But some things, Richard just couldn't share with his closest friend. "I'm sure when things settle down for him, he'll be begging Bruce to bring him out here."

Wally gave an unconvinced grunt.

"Hey, I'm serious. Dick's not just gonna forget about you. You're too close for him to let that happen."

Barry watched in dismay as Wally's expression darkened further. This, he understood, was the red head going into his "serious mode," for those times that just didn't allow for his carefree jokes and immature tendencies. That was another thing that was unusual about the West boy. Normal twelve-year-old kids shouldn't have a "serious mode."

"You spoke with my dad last night, right?"

Rudolph West – the reason the boy _had_ a serious mode. The blonde wondered how much Wally had heard.

"I did."

"What did he say?"

The boy's green eyes locked with his uncle, the corners of his mouth pointed downward in a no-nonsense frown. There was no point in lying to the kid when he was like this, he would see right through it.

"He said that you're welcome to stay here for as long as you need," Barry said slowly, watching his nephew's expression carefully, "and that he's sorry."

The boy made no move, no sound, for a period of time that made even Barry a little uneasy. Finally, Wally grunted, shrugged and took another bite of his toast, the tension in the air evaporating.

"I can't stay as long as I want to," Wally said simply, smiling this time. "'Cause then you'd never be rid of me. Besides, I have school and stuff."

Barry found his smile contagious, uplifted by the lighthearted tone his nephew was using. Wally wasn't the type to brood for very long.

"So is it okay if I stay just long enough for this to fade?" He poked at the bruise on his face with the crust of his toast. "Makes for less awkward questions in class."

"Well of course, but what about school work?"

"That's not a problem, I can catch up when I go back. School is a breeze anyways, half the time I only go because it's an awesome place to nap," Wally laughed, failing to also point out that his father would be furious if he started skipping school. Now was okay, he had permission, but typically the youngster avoided angering his parents as much as he could.

"Okay. Iris and I have work, are you gonna be okay on your own?"

"I'll manage, and I'll stay out of trouble, too. That's an added bonus."

Barry smiled and ruffled the boy's hair affectionately, getting to his feet so he could go get ready for the day and wake his wife while Wally inhaled the rest of his toast and resumed mashing buttons on the controller.

* * *

><p>As usual, Wally <em>had<em> intended to stay out of trouble, but he found that two hours into his solitary stay in his Aunt and Uncle's house had him bored out of his mind. He'd fallen out of the mood for video games and didn't really want to go out, so in search of something better to do, the youngster had taken to exploring the house.

Trouble, however, seemed to have a knack for staring him in the face and eventually drawing him in. He _knew_ that he shouldn't be in his aunt and uncle's room. He _knew_ he didn't belong there, that it was a violation of his relatives' privacy. He _knew_ they'd be cross if they discovered him here.

The last thing he wanted to do was give Iris and Barry a reason to be mad at him.

But still, where he intended to walk right by the open door, he found himself walking in. His eyes, as if guided, fell upon a briefcase resting against the wardrobe. The case – Wally couldn't help but to notice – wasn't shut properly.

That was practically an invitation.

Wally crossed the room, planning to only take a quick peek inside and then shut the case – to stop any further temptation. The case, however, practically fell open for his curious fingers. Inside were a few notebooks and papers, some with scientific jargon he could decipher if he stared at it long enough, others with words – letters to and from his Uncle that had been saved, as well as some envelopes with more miscellaneous files shoved inside. What was most intriguing was the large, leather-skinned book near the top of the pile.

The book looked old and worn, the leather faded and soft to the touch. Curious, Wally thumbed at the pages, watching as the dates climbed up from where Barry must have been around eighteen. With a thoughtful grunt, the ginger settled back onto his knees to felt himself absorbed in his Uncle's writing, pausing only to check the time on the digital display of the bedside clock.

10:05. His Aunt and Uncle had left only two or so hours ago, and wouldn't be home until after five. He had plenty of time.

Wally flipped back to the front cover of the book, starting at the beginning as he contently began to read into what Barry had recorded of his life until that day.

* * *

><p><strong>Hiiiii friends!<strong>

**Thanks so much to those of you who reviewed, it makes me day every time I see one of those notices pop up on my e-mail. You guys make me so happy -insert giant hug here.- In addition, thanks to those of you who favourited and alerted this, I appreciate it, and don't be afraid to share your thoughts and feelings! I'd love to hear them: you're all such wonderful people here.**

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**Thanks for reading this far!**

**Toodles~**

**Shmee**


	3. Chapter 3

When Barry came home that evening, ahead of Iris who was kept late due to a conference, he found Wally sitting at the kitchen table over a bowl of macaroni and staring thoughtfully out the window. If he noticed his uncle entering, he did not show it. It wasn't until Barry began approaching the table that his nephew turned to look at him.

For a reason Barry couldn't quite place, he found himself rooted to where he stood. Wally looked him up and down, as if studying him carefully for the first time. Those green eyes settled on his uncle's face, eyes slightly narrowed in thought.

"Wally? Is everything okay?"

As if nothing had been amiss about his actions, the boy smiled.

"Yeah, just off in my own world for a second there."

Barry didn't feel any less uneasy.

"How was work?"

"It was alright, no serious break through on our case, unfortunately." Barry set his bag on the counter and began shrugging off his jacket. "What'd you get up to today?"

"Did you hear about Captain Cold? He tried robbing an armoured car today. It was on the news."

"Did he? I hadn't heard. Mustn't have been a big deal."

Barry was so used to this sort of super-villain-of-the-day smalltalk that lying about it had become natural. He wasn't as concerned about his nephew's interest in the daily news as he was about the fact that the boy was dodging his previous question.

"Oh it was. He and Mirror Master teamed up to do it."

With a humoured smile, Barry hung up his jacket in the closet and realized what the boy was getting at. It wasn't the super villains the boy was interested in, it was the hero who stopped them. It was always the hero.

"Did the Flash get 'em again?" Barry said, looking to help himself to the macaroni on the stove as he approached the kitchen a second time.

"Barely," said the boy, fixing his uncle with a stare. "They really gave the Flash a run for his money this time."

Now, the man was a little unsure of how to react to the boy's serious, probing tone – like he was trying to hint at something. Determined not to think of it as anything more than Wally being moody due to his recent family drama, Barry paid it little attention.

"Haha," he said teasingly, "I see what you did there. Punny."

"You know, sometimes I think the Flash could use a little help."

"Oh? And why is that?"

"I dunno. If one speedster can take a pair of super villains down in a minute, wouldn't it make sense to say that two speedsters could do it in half?"

"I guess so, but everyone knows Jay Garrick has retired. Besides, I think the Flash does fine on his own, he doesn't need to bother Jay."

"I wasn't talking about Jay."

The boy was staring again. Barry felt as if he was being examined.

"Did you know that both Jay Garrick and the current Flash got their super powers the same way? They were in a lab accident, identical ones, at different times."

Now, Barry was suspicious. _That_ wasn't common knowledge. Granted, it wasn't a big secret either, it was just something the general public wasn't aware of.

"No, I didn't know that. How do you?"

"I do my homework," Wally said simply.

"I see."

Barry sat himself across from his nephew with his own bowl of mac and cheese. He thought to change the subject – possibly back to what Wally had been up to all day – when the boy cut him off quickly.

"I think it'd be cool if the Flash had a sidekick."

Barry almost choked on his food, managing to swallow it down without coughing up a lung, though it stung to do so.

"Really?" he croaked, hoping the boy had missed that display.

He hadn't.

"Yeah. Someone who could help him out – a third speedster."

"I don't think the Flash is the kind of guy who would handle having a sidekick all that well."

"Why not, Uncle Barry?"

"I don't know...it's just my gut feeling. Besides," Barry smiled despite his unease and managed to fake a lighthearted chuckle magnificently, "who could keep up with the Flash?"

"Well, it wouldn't be all that hard to recreate the experiment, right? It's happened twice already, it could happen again. I mean, some of the ingredients I've got in my chemistry kit, it'd be easy to-"

Barry suddenly stood. His own identity aside, it was now painfully clear was his nephew was hinting at. How much he knew was still a mystery, but that wasn't all that important. What _was_ important was that the boy was talking about recreating Jay's experiment, which was dangerous and foolish and absolutely unacceptable.

"No. Wally." Barry said firmly. "Absolutely not. Don't go trying things like that. We don't even really understand how things happened to Jay and the Flash, you could get seriously hurt."

"But if I had help...maybe someone who'd done it before?"

"Wally, no. Even with someone to help, it's the stupidest thing I've ever-"

"Barry, I know."

Silence crashed down upon the room like a brick – heavy and sudden and with so much force it robbed the man of his breath. Wally stared, his expression earnest and his gaze unflinching. Barry stared back, eyes narrowed and managing to speak in an even tone.

"You know what?"

"I read your journal."

Without a word, Barry turned from the table and strode briskly into the hall. The entire way, he held his breath, forcing himself to move slowly – to look unalarmed. He was hoping he was wrong, that Wally had seen some _different_ journal and was talking about something a little less dangerous. He burst into his bedroom, the rapid beating of his heart seeming to stop entirely at the sight of a familiar brown briefcase placed neatly on his bed. He crossed the room, lightheaded at the sight of the locks not properly shut. Feeling numb, the blonde pulled the lid of the case back. His journal was on the very top of the pile, the papers stacked neatly underneath.

"I want in, Barry."

Wally was standing in the doorway, looking as determined and imposing as a twelve year old could.

The man – the Flash, Uncle Barry – took a long breath in, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and his forefinger. The rush of adrenaline had kicked him into hyper speed, and for a moment he was left staring at his unmoving nephew. His eyes shone with determination, a smug smile on his face like he knew he had won. That look, combined with this discovery, this violation of privacy, was infuriating.

Part of him wanted to rush him – show him just how dangerous, how unattainable – this lifestyle was. When Barry had gotten his powers, he hadn't anticipated the repercussions. Everything was so _slow_ now. Time couldn't keep up with him, he was forced to _wait_. Wait and wait and wait for the world to drag along behind him. With age and experience, he'd gotten a handle on his speed and his patience, he could lead a life within relative normality – a life with Iris, who made slowing down worth more to him than all his power.

Someone like Wally – nevermind the fact that he was the son of Iris's brother, nevermind the fact that he was _family –_ would not be able to adjust to that lifestyle. It would be torture. Not to mention, Barry didn't want to ever have to shoulder the guilt of putting someone through the same experience he had when he was younger. He didn't want to shoulder the responsibility of having been the cause of such a drastic change to someone's life. To a _child's_ life.

To _Wally._

As Barry took a breath in and forced his heartbeat to slow, he slowed himself as well, gradually letting time catch up to him. He continued to stare at his smug nephew, blissfully unaware that what had felt like only a second to him had felt much, much longer for his uncle.

"No," Barry said firmly a second time.

If Wally knew, then he knew. He trusted the kid, no matter how bull-headed and stupid he was being now. His identity wasn't in danger. However, he would not allow the kid to endanger _himself_ with his foolish ideas. Wally didn't see it the same way, however, looking indignant as he approached the blonde man.

"What? Why?"

"No! No partners! I don't want the responsibility."

"But-"

"Absolutely not, Wallace. There's no discussing this."

Far too slowly for Barry's liking, he watched the boy's face change, looking crestfallen and hurt. He swallowed whatever sympathies and pity rose up instinctively and turned the boy around by the shoulders. He herded the child out the door.

"But Uncle Barry, I just want-"

"No. It doesn't matter. It's not happening. I don't want to hear any more about this. Absolutely _nothing_."

He shoved the kid out of their bedroom and promptly slammed the door behind him, the door whipping shut so quickly the sound was deafening. The boy didn't even have the time to turn and see it slam in his face.

Wally went home the next day.

* * *

><p>"Wallace! Phone!"<p>

Wally came thundering down the stairs at his father's stern call. The man stood there, looking unimpressed as his wild-haired son approached.

"Who is it?"

"That Grayson kid from Gotham."

The ginger's face lit up.

"Don't take too long. I don't want to see a ridiculous phone bill this month."

Normally, Rudolph's curt tone might have stung a little, but the boy was too elated to let himself be dragged down by his father's bad mood.

"Dick?"

"Wally!"

The boy felt weightless, trying to think back to the last time he'd seen his friend. Months, maybe?

"Hey!" he chirped, "where've you been, man?"

"Busy. But Mr. Allen was here the other day. He just kinda showed up unannounced and he and Bruce went to talk. Bruce didn't even let me come, which is odd 'cause...well, he usually does these days."

For some reason, Wally felt a twinge of jealousy. It was miniscule, so the boy shoved the flare of envy away to think about it later, when he could properly explain it.

"He also didn't bring you along, which was also unusual. I was just calling to make sure everything was okay."

The West boy hesitated, feeling his voice lock up in his throat.

He wasn't mad at Barry. Not anymore.

At first it had stung – hearing the anger in the man's voice, the slam of the door and his final words on the subject. The awkward silence the pair shared in the hours following was painful too. Iris tried to repair the damage when she got home – Barry told her everything – but at the time, Wally just couldn't find it in him to say he was wrong. He truly believed that the Flash could use a sidekick. He believed _he_ was the best choice.

"_Sweetheart, it's not that Barry doesn't want your help," _his aunt had soothed, her warm hand on her Nephew's back. _"But think of what you're saying. You're asking your uncle to willingly blow you up on the off chance that you might gain superpowers, only to endanger your life even more as a crimefighter."_

Still hurt and unfailingly stubborn, Wally had simply glared ahead, refusing to see the logic in his aunt's words.

"_Hun, we care about you too much to allow that. We don't want you to risk your life for something you don't need."_

It had taken him days to stop being angry at Barry. It had taken him even longer to accept that maybe they had been right. Even so, Wally hadn't spoken to Barry since, and the past two weeks had been rough.

For the first week, his father outright avoided him. His mother said that he still felt guilty over what had happened. The boy was willing to believe this, and probably would've been glad for his father's guilt – because it meant he really did care. However, after that week's time had past, Rudy was right back to finding all the _wrong_ things Wally was doing in a day and pointing them out. Loudly. Angrily.

Normally, after a fight with his father, Wally would call Aunt Iris's house and speak to whoever it was who answered. Most of the time it was just nice to hear soothing words – to hear an adult tell him that he _hadn't_ been wrong, that he _was_ a good kid. But still afraid to face his uncle, Wally had spent the past two weeks unwinding after a fight by running.

He would run from everything in his house, wishing to high heaven he could blur into nothing and just disappear. He was never running for the exercise anymore, he was running to put as much distance between himself and his family as he could. He would run until his lungs and legs could take no more, where he would collapse and heave and choke and cry, angry at himself more than anyone else.

"Wally?"

Dick's voice in his ear sounded concerned and snapped his elder friend back into the present.

"Hey, is everything okay?"

Wally felt his throat tighten.

"It's fine, no worries, buddy."

_It'snotfineit'snotfineit'snotfine._

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. Hey, we should hang out sometime this week, you free?"

A guilty pause from the younger boy, and Wally felt no sadness – he'd expected the boy's answer.

"God, I wish I could, Wally. But things are a bit complicated here. I don't really have that much free time anymore. I promise though, as soon as I can we'll hang out, okay? I really want to."

"Okay."

"Honest, Wally, I really do. You have no idea what Bruce has been-"

Silence, but Wally didn't pry.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay, little buddy, just do what you gotta do. We'll see each other soon."

"Are you sure everything is alright with you? With Barry?"

"It's all good, Dick."

Wally could hear his father approaching from down the hall.

"Listen, buddy, I gotta go, dad wants the phone."

"Okay, I'll call again soon, I promise."

"Sure thing, bud. See you."

Wally hung up before he heard the goodbye, not having intended to be so abrupt but found himself guided by instinct. He was up the stairs before his father saw him, locked back in his room and seated on his bed, staring ahead in thought.

There, sitting along in a heavy silence, the truth settled over the youth like dust.

He couldn't keep up.

With Barry, the amazing, all-talented Barry, a hero, his uncle.

With Dick, growing up and seeming to gradually leave his friend in the dust no matter how he insisted that wasn't his intention.

With his father, whose expectations seemed far too high for someone like him to ever dream of reaching.

He felt slow. Agonizingly slow and unable to tell himself it would get better – that he could get through it as he was.

He wanted to _run_.

He wanted to be _special, _and he wanted to hear his father tell him that he was.

He wanted Barry to understand, understand that to Wally, it was worth the risk.

The boy's hands clenched into fists, his eyes narrowing as he bit back tears. He rose from his bed, finding his overnight bag and rummaging through the things he'd yet to unpack. At the bottom of his backpack was a paper, pencilled with scientific formulas and genetic combinations someone his age would not typically be able to understand.

The Flash's formula.

He crossed the room to his desk, setting the paper down and pulling out his advanced chemistry set – a gift given to him when he was ten for getting straight A's in school.

From Barry and Iris, of course.

He stared down at the set for quite a while, weighing the options in his head.

He knew his aunt and uncle didn't want him to try it. They didn't want him to get hurt. He understood this. He was _glad_ for it.

But he couldn't just pass up this opportunity. He had a chance to be so much more, to be someone _worth_ his father's attention – to be worth the _world's_ attention. He could make a difference, he could leave all these troubles and heavy thoughts behind him, caught up in the wind and far too fast to be caught by anyone he didn't want to be caught by.

With his mind made up, he felt himself smile as he opened his kit.

* * *

><p>When Barry came home from work that day, he found Iris on the couch in tears.<p>

"Barry, there's been...there's been an accident..."

The woman wiped at her eyes, trying to steady her voice as her husband swept down to meet her, drawing her up in his arms even before he was truly sure what was wrong.

"It's Wally..."

* * *

><p><strong>Yeeaaaaaaboy!<br>WALLY DONE GOOFED. THE CONSEQUENCES WILL NEVER BE THE SAME. **

**Hello again everyone. Long time no see. **** Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and thanks to those who are alerting/favouriting this. Pleasepleaseplease review, let me know what you think - no matter what your opinion is, I definitely want to hear it. Reviews are like, soul food for authors, as I'm sure a lot of you know.**

**FEED MY SOUL.**

**Or don't. Either way, you're all wonderful.**

**Thanks for reading this far!**

**Toodles~**

**Shmee**


	4. Chapter 4

The sight had been horrifying.

Young Wally West had been caught in a reaction caused by mixing unstable chemicals in the confines of his bedroom. The resulting explosion had burned nearly every part of the boy's body and broken multiple bones. When Iris and Barry arrived at the hospital to visit, the boy was still unconscious. His skin was an angry red and bandages wrapped his limbs and skull.

Rudolph and Mary were there at his side, as they had been since the moment they were allowed. The couple stood over their son's broken body, holding one another with worry.

"I don't understand..." said Mary, turning to her sister-in-law as they approached. "Wally is really good with chemistry and he's used that set dozens of times before...I would've thought..."

Rudy picked up sternly from where she could not continue.

"He would be smart enough to avoid something like this."

No one corrected Rudy or reprimanded his harsh tone, though Barry couldn't help an inward cringe. In his own way, the man had complimented his son and no one could argue that he was worried, even if he didn't say so out loud. Strained relationship or not, Wally was still his boy. Rudolph had not let his son out of his sights for a second since the accident.

"He'll pull through," assured Iris as her husband left her side to examine the boy's medical charts – charts that would detail the damage and the events that caused it. "He's a tough kid, you'll see him on his feet in no time."

Over her brother's shoulder, Iris watched Barry cover his mouth and step back from the bed. As the Wests turned their attention back to their boy, the woman rushed to her husband, who had gone pale where he stood.

"He was recreating the Flash's experiment," breathed Barry. He set down the clipboard, steeled his nerves and turned away from the sight of the child who was beginning to stir. He'd recognized the chemicals involved in the report, all too familiar with their instability and tendency to explode.

"This is _not_ your fault." Iris gave her husband a stern look, already aware of how quickly he was blaming himself for the boy's condition.

"They were my notes, Iris. Of course this is my fault."

"You didn't give them to him. You didn't encourage him to try them. _You_ didn't do this, Barry."

Regardless of his wife's reassurances, the man couldn't help but to hang his head and try desperately to ignore the pain in his chest. He heard Iris sigh and go silent for a few impossibly long seconds. Then he felt her hand on his arm, giving him a little tug. Barry turned, only to have his eyes drawn to the bed ridden kid across the room.

Wally was awake – if only barely – and his one, bandage-free eye had found him.

Barry met the boy's stare, noting that he looked as if he was about to burst into tears. This wasn't all that much of a surprise, considering the amount of pain he must have been in. The kid bit his lip and managed to hold his tears back, but still stared at his uncle with an expression that screamed with emotion.

He was asking for forgiveness. His expression looked just as guilty as Barry felt – as if Wally understood what pain his actions had caused his family and what he was putting his uncle through.

Iris – ever perceptive of her husband's guilty conscious – noted the exchange and gently took Barry's hand in her own. She towed the man over to the side of the ginger's bed, opposite his parents. Together, the young couple stared down at the child for what felt like forever before Iris released her husband to take Wally's hand and hold it firmly in both of her own.

It took him a moment, but eventually Barry sighed, managing a smile as he placed his own hand over theirs.

On the opposite side, Mary had also taken her son's hand, Rudy standing over them both with his hands on her shoulders.

"We're here for you buddy," said Barry softly, aware he was being watched. "We always will be."

When Richard had visited a day later, his friend was out cold – a sleep aided by copious amounts of painkillers, he was sure.

Bruce agreed to wait outside and give his young ward some privacy to speak with his friend. The ten year old had thanked his father figure for understanding and quietly shut the door behind him, left in the silence with only Wally's breathing and the steady beeping of his heart monitor.

"Hey, Wally," Dick said, his voice hushed as if it would wake his comatose friend. He crossed the room and stood beside the hospital bed, hesitating there as he continued. "I came to apologize."

There wasn't an answer, but Dick wasn't expecting one.

"I've been really distant this past year, and believe me, I wish I didn't have to be."

Dick was still and silent for a while, lost in thought. Eventually, he climbed onto the bed, seating himself cross-legged at his friend's side and staring down at him with a conflicted expression. He was careful not to disturb his friend physically in any way. He hadn't shifted the bed at all, and was afraid to touch the elder boy in fear of causing him harm.

"Remember when you used to come over like, every other weekend and we'd watch movies or explore the mansion together? You really helped me out by being there. I was going through a tough time and things were changing really fast for me...but you helped keep me anchored. I never told you, but you were practically my only friend. You...you still kinda are."

Wally just kept on breathing, which is all Dick could ask for.

"You being there...wanting to see me, calling me, wanting to hang out and do friend stuff...that kept me going, you know? With my family gone and having to adjust to a new...different life, it was hard...but having you as a friend made it easier."

A pause.

"But I've been selfish."

The boy hung his head and turned to let his feet dangle over the side of the cot.

"I've been so wrapped up in what I'm going through that I didn't really pay attention to what was going on with you...you never asked for my help or support, but I should have known anyways. That's what friends do, right?"

Dick heard voices outside, Bruce's being the most recognizable of them, but he paid them little attention.

"The day I called you, I knew. I _knew_ something was wrong, but...I didn't think I had the time to work it out. I thought that you could handle it by yourself. I didn't even try..." The boy knew he was running out of time, so he took in a breath and turned back to his friend. "I'm sorry, Wally, for being such a bad friend to you. Believe me, I didn't mean to, and I really, really miss you. And...I promise...when you get out...and when you get better, I'll explain everything to you, okay? No more secrets."

"Dick." Bruce was suddenly at the door, his expression sympathetic. The dark-haired boy looked up, hoping his guardian hadn't heard the promise he'd just made to his friend. But whether or not he did, it was time to go. The nurses needed to tend to Wally, and visiting hour was up.

With a final, quiet goodbye to the unconscious redhead, the boy hopped off the bed and followed his mentor out the door.

Had he lingered for just a moment longer, he would've seen the ginger's eye gradually open and his fists clench at his sides.

Wally was released from the hospital two weeks ahead of schedule, so the Wests and the Allens threw the child a "welcome home" party. When his Aunt brought him home, he was delighted to walk into a room full of familiar faces: his mom and dad, his aunt and uncle – even Dick and Bruce were there. But what had truly been a welcome surprise was the presence of an elder man and his wife – a man who Wally recognized instantly, despite only having met him a few years prior with his uncle.

Jay Garrick.

Wally couldn't have been happier to see what he considered his entire family gathered in one place, Jay and Joan included. Though the entirety of the party guests were cautious around him and constantly asking if he was okay, if he should be straining himself or resting, Wally wasn't about to let himself miss out on this sort of treat for any reason.

Truthfully, Wally's swift recovery had impressed even the hospital staff. He was supposed to be bed ridden for much longer, but most of his burns had healed wonderfully and his bones had seemed to repair themselves with little help. The doctors had said such rapid healing was rare and Wally was lucky to be blessed with it – for that ability had probably saved his life, or at least prevented him from being permanently scarred by his burns.

At one point, Iris had pulled her lover aside and asked if it was possible that Wally's experiment had worked and that his rapid healing was a result of his new found connection to the speed force, but Barry wasn't convinced.

"_If it had worked, he would've been healed within the day. Yeah, Wally healed quickly, but not speedster fast. I think he was just lucky, and thank god for it."_

They were all glad for the ginger's luck, convinced that was all it was – luck.

The group enjoyed a home-cooked meal made by the combined efforts or Iris, Barry and Joan. When dinner had been cleared, Mary served ice cream and cake, following which everyone sat around the table and chattered happily with one another. It was when Wally began to yawn and zone out that Mary decided it best everyone head home to let the boy rest.

"Hey, Wally," Dick pulled his older friend aside as Bruce went to start the car – having forgone the limo to be a little more inconspicuous. "Meet me here in a month's time, and don't tell _anyone_ about it, okay?"

The boy slipped a piece of paper into his friend's hand and received a puzzled look.

"I mean it, absolutely _no one_."

He waited until Wally gave a little nod, then took off after his guardian.

Barry and Iris were the last to leave, and not without both receiving a crushing hug from the youngster.

"Hey Barry," Wally had said, hushed so his parents wouldn't overhear. "I'm sorry...for everything."

"It's alright, kiddo, just don't do anything that stupid again, okay? I don't think we can handle being scared like that a second time."

Barry ruffled his nephew's hair, who smiled up at him and nodded. Arm in arm, the couple had departed, leaving Wally behind with his family.

With everyone gone, Mary had banished her son upstairs to rest, promising that a big breakfast would be waiting for him in the morning.

But morning seemed to come so slowly.

Wally was up inexplicably early and wonderfully energized, but under the full knowledge that both his parents would want him in bed and resting for as long as possible. Still, the minutes lying in bed had seemed to drag on, and do so agonizingly slow.

Curious, Wally stared at his digital clock and counted.

He was well beyond sixty when the number finally changed, so he tried again, pacing himself even further.

Again, he was well beyond sixty seconds when the clock finally changed to eight

Wally's heart skipped a beat, a crazy and exciting idea forming in his head. He threw off his covers and moved slowly and carefully for the door. As quietly as he could, he crept through the house, letting himself out the front without being discovered. He took up a runner's stance in the middle of the street, holding his breath in anticipation.

This was _so_ crazy.

But still, worth a shot.

Slowly, Wally let out his breath, shutting his eyes and calming the erratic beating of his heart. When he opened them, he fixed his stare on a point on the horizon, tensed his muscles, lifted his body and

_ran_.

It was _exhilarating. _

The world around him was but a blur of colour as he passed it, the wind whipping at his face and pulling at his clothes. He couldn't stop himself from grinning, feeling elated with feelings of joy and excitement. This was absolutely everything he'd imagined it would be, and more.

The first time he'd taken off running was earlier that morning and he had run miles in no time at all, in love with the feeling. At the time, he had no destination and was more than content to just run and run until he was too tired to continue, though the fatigue was welcome and satisfying.

Now, actually dressed in more than just his pyjamas and running with a destination in mind, he found the trip disappointingly short. It seemed only a minute or so had passed since leaving his house, but he'd already crossed the city and was rapidly approaching where his aunt and uncle lived.

Even so, the fact that he had been _able_ to get to the other side of central in so little time was amazing. What was more was that he couldn't _wait_ to share his discovery with Barry. He wasn't any less sorry about making them worry as he had been when he'd apologized, but maybe now that he was _okay_ and that he had powers, Barry would change his mind about accepting a protege.

Wally came to an abrupt halt in front of the Allens' door, knocking so quickly the sound blurred into one continuous noise.

That was so _cool!_

Barry came to the door looking confused, even more so to see his bright-eyed nephew grinning up at him and without his parents in sight.

"...Wally? What are you-"

"I gotta show you something, Uncle Barry!"

Barry was caught off guard by the rush of wind and blur of colour that signified his nephew running past him and into the house. He turned, watching as the kid whizzed around the room at a breakneck pace. Shutting the door behind him quickly and appearing in the living room with the aid of his own speed, Barry found himself being circled.

It was too much to handle.

"It worked!" chirped the boy, his voice distorted and weird due to his speed. Barry's hands pressed into his head as he tried to sort through the thoughts that were cluttering his mind as quickly as the boy was moving. "Look!"

Barry _was_ looking. He was probably one of the only people in the world who _could. _Few others would be able to keep that colourful blur in sight and still distinguish it as a person.

"I can be your partner!" Wally was grinning, looking happier than Barry had seen in months. "We'd make a great team! I could be _Kid_ Flash!"

Normally, in an overwhelming situation such as this, Barry would kick himself into hyper speed to think it through, everything frozen around him as he processed information far faster than anyone else in the area. But this time, upon trying that trick, he found Wally still there, still racing around the room, still circling him.

That had to _stop_.

"Wally!"

The boy skidded to a halt in front of him.

"You...this...this is insane, Wally!" Barry threw up his hands in exasperation "What I do is dangerous, and I don't want to see you get hurt!"

"But I wouldn't! I'd learn how to control my speed and make sure no one could touch me! With your help, I'd be okay."

"Wally, I-"

Completely out of nowhere, the boy held up his hand with a stern expression. The action was so unexpected, Barry had stopped himself to give the ginger an indignant look.

"When I was talking to Iris after I found out you were the Flash, she told me how you felt. You didn't want me risking my life blowing myself up for this, and you didn't want me risking my life fighting crime. Well, _I_ chose to take the chance, it seemed worth it – if I could make a difference in my life and _help_ people. _I _messed up, and _I _got hurt, that was my doing, _this_ is my doing. But it's happened, whether you like it or not."

Barry frowned.

"Now I have this speed, and I'm going to use it. I'm asking for your help, because _I_ want to _learn_ from _you._ I'm sorry I made you and Iris worry, but there's no going back."

"Wally," Barry couldn't help how stern his voice sounded, and he felt himself frown when the boy stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked at his shoes with a pout.

"I'm not gonna stop running now, Barry. I won't."

Despite the submissive expression, the boy's voice was firm. Even though he wished otherwise, the blonde knew he couldn't exactly fix this situation the way he wanted to. He couldn't just take away the kid's speed, and even if he could, would he? This was something Wally was excited about. He was happier than he'd been in weeks. He was convinced he could do good for the world – and for Barry – and was determined to prove he could, no matter the cost.

Originally, Barry didn't want a sidekick or a partner. He didn't want to constantly be watching out for someone else, because god knows he would never forgive himself if harm came to someone he was supposed to be looking out for.

But this was Wally. Stubborn, smart, independent Wally. Turning him away would not save him from danger, but motivate him to face it on his own. There really was only one option for the blonde now, an option that was still pouting at its shoes.

Barry took a long breath in, then spoke firmly, pointing a stern finger at his nephew.

"Okay...You can be Kid Flash. But you do _exactly_ as I say, _when_ I say it."

The man found himself in a crushing hug almost instantaneously, quite unused to having things happen at a speed close to his own.

"Thank you, Uncle Barry," Wally said, smiling from ear to ear as he hugged his relative tighter. "I promise, I won't let you down! I'll make you proud!"

At these words, Barry wormed his hands free and allowed himself to smile.

"Wally, we – _I –_ have always been proud of you, speedster or otherwise."

The boy's wide-eyed stare was directed up to his uncle, as if in disbelief. The blonde ruffled his junior's hair affectionately, then pulled him back into a tight hug.

Kid Flash was a reality, there was no denying it. Barry's task now was to train his newly acquired ward to the best of his ability, so the child would be able to defend himself and grow into the hero he so desperately wanted to be.

"Alright, I want you to head home and rest up. We're going to have to work some stuff out first, like how to handle your parents. Until then, I want you to at least _try_ to keep things quiet about this. As far as your parents know, you still need a few days rest, so take it easy for a while and I'll contact you before the week is through."

For a moment, Barry thought the kid would dispute being sent home so soon, but apparently he was so elated at having been accepted by his uncle that he was more than willing to do anything he was asked. With a nod, another thank you and a big grin, Wally was out the door in a heartbeat, nothing more than a blur of colour once again.

The blonde shut the door behind their departed guest, then turned to find Iris standing in the hallway, leaning against the wall with a knowing smile on her lips.

"What?"

"You did a good thing, Barry.

"I just did what seemed right, I guess."

The man crossed the room to his wife and drew her into his arms.

"It means the world to Wally."

"It's dangerous."

"I never said it wasn't." The woman pulled back to smile up at her husband, a certain twinkle in her eyes that made him feel like she knew something he did not. "This just...feels right. He'll be fine."

"With practice," added Barry warily.

"Of course. But this way, at least I know someone else out there is looking out for you – someone who can keep up with you."

The blonde opened his mouth to protest, but found one of her dainty fingers pressing against his lips to silence him. At her sly smile, the man drew her closer, dipping his head to meet her mouth with his own. When they were but an inch apart, Barry suddenly pulled away and cast his gaze towards the door.

Wally appeared under the blonde's stare hardly a second after. Iris's eyes were wide with surprise, whilst Barry simply looked a little irritated with the interruption.

"Sorry, I got like, halfway into the city and then realized I've never really paid attention to how we got home."

The ginger's goofy smile prompted the young couple to pull apart hurriedly

"Which way is my house?"

* * *

><p><strong>Wooooo!<br>Have another!**

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	5. Chapter 5

A week was exactly what Wally needed.

While his parents more or less left him alone in his room to rest, Wally found he had more than enough time to test himself, to see what he could do – what his potential was. It also gave him the time to discover that his speed augmented everything in his body.

His heart beat at a rapid speed, which for the first few days, had Wally feeling lightheaded and high strung. This meant the blood pumping through his system did so quickly and turned him into a walking, talking furnace with the amount of heat he was capable of producing. His metabolism was now the bane of his existence, for there was not a moment that went by that didn't have him wondering what there was to eat.

He found that ignoring his perpetual hunger was dangerous, for he became sluggish and tired to the extent where just standing upright took more energy than he had to spend.

His heartbeat problem took a little more time to work out, and when it had been combined with gnawing hunger the experience had been extremely unpleasant. Eventually, he forced himself to lie still and focus on his breathing – to listen to his heartbeat and pay careful attention to the pace. With enough patience and focus, he found he could alter the speed at which his heart would beat.

It would take practice, but he was sure he could work out how to make his body maintain a somewhat normal pulse when he needed it to. Plus, in the event he had troubles working out how to do that and maintain it, he could always ask Barry for help. Barry had been through it all, he knew the ropes and knew how to handle living a normal life as a speedster.

As the end of the week approached and with still no word from Barry, Wally had decided to give one of the Flash's famous techniques a shot.

Often on news reports and on the rare in-person occasion, Wally would watch the Flash run right _through_ a wall without breaking it down, his speed unaffected. Over time and after thinking it through scientifically, Wally had concluded that the man was vibrating his molecules at a pace that matched the molecules of the subject, allowing him to pass right through it.

It was Flash's speed that allowed him to do that, but now, _Wally_ had that speed. Did that mean he could do it too? He was eager to find out.

He had started with the most basic aspect of the technique – by getting his molecules to vibrate at all. He sat himself in the middle of his room and focus hard on his hand. He didn't know what he was supposed to do to get his molecules to move, he just knew that in order to go through things, they would have to.

Wally was beginning to feel like a fool after an hour or so, aware that he must have looked crazy staring so intently at his hand for so long.

Then finally, after staring at his hand for an impossible amount of time and trying to envision the entirety of his speed concentrated there, his hand began to blur before his eyes. It was such a slight change that he was sure he wouldn't have been able to see were it not for the speed his brain could now process information.

"Hah!"

As soon as Wally realized he was doing it, the vibrations promptly stopped.

For days Wally put all his effort into recreating that small accomplishment, finding it to be near impossible on his own. Despite having acheived some form of success, he still didn't really know how he'd done it. Learning that trick would be far easier with help, so Wally had decided to put the vibrating idea to rest for a while, content with the progress he _had_ made in such short time. But then again, as a speedster, Wally noticed that time was something he had a lot of. Everything he did normally, he now did _faster_, so time seemed to go slower. As for the vibrating, he would have to ask Barry for some pointers.

The fact that he _could _go to Barry for help now made the boy smile pleasantly, feeling as if a heavy weight had been lifted from his chest.

When Wally woke up to the weekend, he began to worry that Barry was not planning on calling – that he'd changed his mind about taking an apprentice. The West house had gotten calls all week, but none of them had been for the boy who was so desperately awaiting one. If his uncle _had_ changed his mind, Wally wasn't sure what he would do. Could he keep his Kid Flash mantle? Who would he go to for help with his powers? There was always Jay, but would he react in the same way Barry did?

If nothing else, he was grateful for his timing. With spring break officially here, he had two weeks to work on refining his abilities. Hopefully, he could head back to school after break with a better understanding of his powers.

These thoughts were heavy on the boy's mind as he stumbled down the stairs Saturday morning, unsure where to start. He'd been so distracted that he almost didn't notice his uncle seated at the kitchen table.

"Pack your stuff, Kid," Barry said with a smile at his nephew's amazement. "You're spending spring break with us."

The smile that lit up the boy's face was infectious and Barry couldn't help but to notice how fitting it was that Wally was back downstairs with a suitcase in a flash.

* * *

><p>"Well, you're having the opposite problem I had."<p>

Barry helped his apprentice to his feet with a lighthearted chuckle. The youngster grumbled and brushed himself off, having gotten a face full of debris and dust when the sheet of plywood had exploded in front of him.

It was the third time Wally had tried to put only his arm through the wood, and the third time his subject had exploded violently and sent him skidding back. Barry seemed to find it amusing, while his nephew was getting more and more frustrated.

"Not as easy as it looks, is it?"

"Why can't I get it to stop...you know...blowing up? I'm getting real sick of hitting the dirt here."

"When I first tried the idea of vibrating through something, I couldn't get my molecules moving fast enough. You on the other hand, expel too much speed – you increase the velocity of the molecules around you and bam, explosion."

"Okay," said Wally, "how do I avoid "bam, explosion?""

His uncle replied without missing a beat

"Practice."

The boy gave a dry laugh.

"Of course."

'Practice' was what Wally had been doing every day of the week since arriving at the Allens' home. Some days, Barry would give him some exercises he could do on his own – like time how long it took him to get to a specified location and back, or a speedster workout routine that involved a lot of cardio and just as much muscle building.

Other days, Barry would take Wally out to a quiet location to work on some more advanced techniques, like regulating his heartbeat and body temperature, explaining some of the natural abilities of a speedster – such as the science behind why they didn't burn up from friction when running – and at Wally's request, how to move his molecules fast enough to vibrate through solid objects.

"You're making good progress, though. If anything, you've got a pretty reliable way to make a bomb."

At that, Wally grinned. He could only imagine what kinds of explosions he could produce if he tried this trick on a larger, more solid object. He would have to be careful with what sort of materials he practised on.

"But you've probably blown yourself up enough for one day. Why don't we go for a quick lap of the world and head home?"

'A quick lap of the world' had become a daily routine, meant to help familiarize Wally with his speed. For the past eight days, his only task had been to _keep up_ with Barry. Now he was ready for a challenge.

"Make it a race and you're on."

Barry pulled his cowl over his head and the Flash laughed, propping his fists on his hips in a familiar display of confidence.

"Getting a little overconfident, Kid?"

Wally pulled his own mask down over his face with a grin.

"Confident? Yes. Over? Definitely not."

As the two red-and-yellow clad speedsters stood side by side, Kid Flash took a moment to position his goggles over his eyes. He looked up to the white lenses of his mentor's mask and braced himself to run. After a unified nod, the pair were gone, leaving the abandoned construction site that had been the location of their training behind.

Unsurprisingly, Flash won. But this time, his younger counterpart had managed to pass his mentor for a minute or so just as they were crossing the Pacific.

* * *

><p>Two weeks at his aunt and uncle's had not only been a therapeutic and welcome break from his 'normal' life, but his daily sessions with Barry had given him a firm handle on his speed. On his very last day, he had been clocked going at least fifty times the speed of sound. While his mentor told him to always aim for light speed, he insisted that in such a short amount of time, breaking the sound barrier so finitely was no small accomplishment.<p>

Out of curiosity, Wally had asked if Barry knew how much faster light was than sound was.

"Oh, I don't remember the exact number," he had said, "but it's somewhere around eighty-five hundred thousand times."

Wally had laughed, though had been unable to explain why. Maybe it was because that meant he would have to go eighty-four hundred thousand, nine-hundred and fifty times faster to be even _close_ to light speed.

However, despite the eventful month, Wally hadn't forgotten Dick's request and he still intended to follow through with the meeting. He'd also respected Richard's wishes and kept the planned meet a secret from absolutely everyone, he hadn't even told Barry, though part of him really did want to.

But no, Dick trusted him. He wasn't about to betray that trust.

On the night of the meet, Wally waited until just after his parents had gone to bed. The meet time was still an hour or so away, but he still had to _get_ to Gotham and find the dock warehouse they were supposed to meet in. He climbed out of his bedroom window in his Kid Flash uniform and took off towards the infamous city, his mind just as busy as his feet.

Thanks to the science of Barry's rings, Wally could whisk in and out of his Kid Flash costume in the blink of an eye. This meant he not only had his uniform, but a set of "civvies" as well.

He wasn't sure what he was going to tell Dick yet.

Furthermore, he didn't know what was so secretive and important to Dick the he felt he had to arrange such a discreet rendezvous. But the look on his young friend's face had been serious. This was no childish play date like those they used to have when they were younger.

But was this meeting also the meeting that would see him sharing _his_ new found secret with the boy? Barry had told him that it was important to keep your hero identity and your own identity separate and safe, so that the enemies you make as a hero couldn't harm the ones you love out of the costume. But this was _Dick, _his best buddy and practically a brother. Could he even keep a secret from him?

Kid Flash tore through Gotham towards the docks, his mind still buzzing with conflicting thoughts.

"To tell or not to tell," chuckled Kid, "_that_ is the question."

By the time he reached the harbour side warehouses, the ginger had decided to show up in his costume and go from there, subliminally aware that this would likely mean revealing himself, but he wasn't all that opposed to the idea. Sharing this secret would be a good way to solidify their friendship – to make it stronger with something important shared between them.

He had no idea that Dick was thinking the _exact_ same thing.

Forcing himself to slow, the boy walked into warehouse five. He wasn't exactly sure what he was expecting to find, but the place vast and filled only with a few crates scattered here and there. The only light in the building was the light that flooded in through the open door – a mixture of street and moonlight.

He was instantly wary of who or what could be lingering around in the dark in a city with such a reputation as Gotham. He made sure his footfalls were light and refrained from calling out into the silence.

Wally stood still in the middle of the room, trying to make out shapes in the shadows. He could hear his own heart hammering away in his chest, but nothing else. It was eerily quiet, and this combined with the creepy atmosphere of the warehouse and the rumours circling the city's more unstable residents put Kid Flash on edge.

That was when the boy heard a creak in the rafters above.

"Hello?"

The word escaped him before he could think through the repercussions of talking out – of giving away his location. It had been a reflex, just as flinching at the sound had been. Shrugging this error off, he took solace in the fact that next to his uncle and perhaps Jay – no one could catch him should he decide to run. This knowledge gave him the confidence to squint up at the rafters and call out again.

"Hey, is anyone there?"

His words bounced off the roof and back at him, uncomfortably loud and made the silence seem all the heavier in their wake.

For the longest time, the ginger was left standing in silence, staring upwards as if waiting for something to appear there.

"Wally?" The voice that cut through the dark made the boy jump, coming not from the rafters above but from behind him. He whirled almost _too_ quickly, coming face to face with the white lenses of a stranger's masked face. Wally stumbled back in surprise, his heart a frenzy of sound in his ears. It took him a moment, but after studying the stranger, Kid Flash managed to calm himself down.

The stranger was only a boy. Furthermore, he appeared younger than Wally and fit a description he had heard sometime earlier.

The boy was probably a head or so shorter than Wally, the mask he wore covering his eyes and capped with a mound of dark, messy hair. His uniform was made up of colours of red, black and yellow, the latter two found in the short cape hanging from the child's shoulders. The 'R' insignia on his chest was a big clue as to who it was Kid Flash was staring at.

He had heard stories about Batman and the boy wonder, Robin. The two were Gotham's protectors, and while they managed to avoid too much media coverage, the rumours that surrounded them gave them quite the reputation. Batman was someone to be feared, a reason to stay straight in Gotham – as if Kid Flash ever intended _not_ to – while his young ward was not someone to be underestimated.

A clear truth, due to the fact that Kid had only been in the boy's presence for a few minutes and _already_ his secret identity was out of the bag.

"Wally, is that you?"

"It's Kid Flash," Wally corrected flatly. "You must be Robin. I've heard about you. How do you know my name?"

The boy's eyes went wide behind his mask.

"Well...I...uh..."

Really, it wasn't all that surprising to run into Robin in Gotham, due to the fact that it was _his _city. However, it was a little unusual to run into him _here,_ of all places, considering this was kind of out of the way and the last place someone like the boy wonder needed to be.

But Wally also knew that Robin shouldn't be considered a threat and that he really didn't have anything to fear from him. He was one of the good guys, after all, and Robin couldn't touch him once Kid got running.

The boy in front of him fidgeted uncertainly, his eyes on his shoes. Something about that reaction hit Wally with a wave of familiarity. He squinted at the child, his mind beginning to make connections he wasn't sure they should be making.

"Do I know you?" he asked, genuinely puzzled.

Robin sighed.

"Well, I did say no more secrets."

Kid Flash narrowed his eyes in suspicion, though whatever was familiar about Robin was steadily growing.

"What?"

The youngster reached up, pulling away his mask with his hands and turning his blue-eyed stare onto the elder boy. Wally stared in silence for a moment, his eyes picking out familiar features in the shadowed silhouette of Robin's front.

Wait. Not Robin. Not anymore.

"...Dick?"

Richard Grayson smiled.

"Hey, Wally."

It took him a few moments to collect himself before Wally could properly react. He started by realizing that both their 'secret identities' were now in the past. Kid Flash pulled back his cowl, staring openly in disbelief at his young friend.

"_You're_ the boy wonder?"

Dick smiled and gave a little nod, still holding his mask in his right hand.

"It's still kind of a new development. It's taken me a while to get used to myself..."

Wally stepped towards his friend.

"I can imagine. I guess this explains what you've been 'busy' with lately."

"Yeah. Between training and Gotham, it's hard to catch a break."

Wally could only nod as things just seemed to click into place. If Dick had been spending his days at school and training to be the boy wonder and his nights as Robin on patrol, that would leave very little free time for himself. Really, Wally was now flattered that his younger friend had somehow managed to make time for him at all.

"This is what I wanted to tell you...I wasn't ignoring you and I did really miss you."

"I know, I've always believed you. This is just the...explanation, I guess. I knew you were busy, I just never knew with what."

"You do now," Dick added with a grin. Wally matched it with one of his own, then watched as his junior's expression became puzzled and his eyes wandered up and down the ginger's body. "Okay, your turn," he said, "what's with the Flash insignia there? I know you're a big fan, but if this is an attempt to impersonate him, the costume is wrong. Plus, impersonating him is probably dangerous. You're gonna attract all the wrong attention."

With a confident chuckle, Wally pulled his cowl back over his head and snapped his goggles over his eyes.

"Dick, buddy, have _I_ got a surprise for you."

In a blur of colour and a rush of wind, the boy was on the move. In a second, he'd crossed the distance between them and begun to rapidly circle his younger friend. The wind picked up around the dark-haired child, forming a miniature cyclone that slowly lifted him off the ground.

"W-whoa!" The boy struggled to keep his balance in the wind tunnel, being lifted upwards and tugged in every direction all at once. When Wally stopped moving, the wind abruptly stopped and brought Dick's levitating with it. Despite the sudden fall, the boy twisted and still managed to land gracefully on his feet. The ginger was now standing just in front of him, a smug grin plastered on his jaw.

Dick took a moment to run his hand through his hair and out of habit, put his mask back on.

"That's new," he said, a little winded. His friend puffed out his chest with pride.

"I know."

"How new is it?" Dick wasn't sure if he should feel betrayed or not. Having superpowers was a pretty big thing, but then again, Dick had been moonlighting as a superhero for over a year now. He was the last person who could complain about his best friend keeping a secret from him.

"Remember that explosion I was in?"

Robin suddenly felt guilty for ever thinking Wally had betrayed him.

"So this...all happened within the span of a month?"

"Feels like much longer to me, but I guess so, yeah."

Silence took a hold of the warehouse once again, but Dick made no effort to break it. He had a feeling Wally wasn't done yet, and he was patient. The ginger was busy making connections in his head with this new piece of information. He looked as if he was something to say, he just wasn't sure what it was.

Either way, Richard wasn't kept waiting long.

"You know, my uncle used to tell me you were always 'busy' with some serious stuff...did he...?"

"Know about me? Yes."

Dick regretted answering the instant after he did. Giving away his own identity was significantly better than hinting at the identity of someone who would rather not be exposed to anyone he didn't already approve. And he wasn't talking about the Flash.

"I guess that...sort of makes sense..." Wally didn't sound very offended by learning this, which was a good thing. "I mean, you're both superheroes, it makes sense that you might know each others identities."

"You know about Barry?"

"Dude, that's part of the reason I blew myself up in the first place."

"Oh...you handled the news well, then?"

"Like a champ," said Wally with a winning smile. Dick returned the look with a grin of his own, then stepped forward to put his hand on his taller friend's shoulder and speak sincerely.

"Sorry for keeping this a secret from you, Wally."

The ginger only kept on smiling.

"No, no. I understand. I would've understood had I known sooner, and don't worry, your secret is safe with me. I won't tell a soul."

Dick breathed a long sigh of relief, though not at having his secret kept. Honestly, he wouldn't have told Wally if he didn't trust him to keep secrets. He was only grateful that the ginger was so understanding, so accepting. His greatest fear of the evening was seeing his best friend angry at him for keeping such a big part of his life hidden.

But Wally understood, just as he always did.

"Thanks Wally," Dick was sincere again, "yours too."

Before he could protest, Wally had him in a tight hug.

"Gotta hug this out, buddy," Wally said against his friend's halfhearted squirming. "I missed you!"

Richard laughed, eventually freeing himself from the crushing embrace. Caught up in nostalgia, the boy found himself flooded with adrenaline. He fished out a line from their childhood with a grin.

"Hey, do you want to see something cool?"

Wally grinned and responded – just as he had the first time – without missing a beat.

"Do I ever!"

* * *

><p><strong>YeaaaaaaBoi!<strong>

**Hello. You know the drill, you`re all fabulous people. Want to become even more fabulous? Tired of all that level grinding you have to do to reach that specific level of kickass? Want a 'get rich quick' scheme in terms of awesomeness? Well do I have the solution for you! You just roll your little clicker down to the review button, click it with all the feeling you can muster, and in as many words as you deem necessary, write your thoughts! **

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**Toodles~**

**Shmee**


	6. Chapter 6

"The Batcave?"

Robin stood in front of Kid Flash, a wide grin on his face. In his hands he held a strip of cloth.

"Yeah, but I don't think I can tell you where it is exactly, so getting there is gonna have to be a secret, okay?"

"How do you intend to get me there if I'm blind?"

"I'll manage. Come on, you want to see it, right?"

Kid looked down to the cloth then back up to his friend and wrinkled his nose. He looked like he was about to say no. Instead, he turned and gave a little nervous chuckle.

"Alright, I trust you, buddy."

"Okay!" Dick wrapped the cloth tightly around his friend's eyes, tied the knot tight behind his head and then turned him back around by the shoulder. "Can you see?"

"No."

Sudden and unexpectedly, Robin went to punch Kid solidly in the face, but stopped perhaps a centimetre away. He did not react. With a satisfied grunt, the boy took his elder's hand and began towing him down the street.

"Alright, come with me."

* * *

><p>Robin poked his head out from behind a large column of stone, scanning the area for any sign of movement. When he saw none, he stepped out into the open and called back to his friend.<p>

"All right. Coast is Clear"

"Do you really think this is a good idea?"

"Come on."

Kid Flash advanced towards the sound of his friend's voice, his arms out in front of him. When he collided with his friend and pushed his palm into the side of the boy's face, he let out a frustrated sigh.

"I can't see anything, Robin!"

The boy wonder chuckled, then moved his fingers to the knot at the back of Kid Flash's head.

"Here." When he pulled away the blindfold, Kid gasped at the cavern before him. It was a network of pathways and stairs in an open setting, computers and miscellaneous other machinery all within a stone's throw of one another. Somewhere near the bottom, the infamous Batmobile sat in the middle of a pale circle. "Welcome to the Batcave."

Robin guided his friend down the stairs to the main level, passing some of Batman's trophies along the way, taking his time so his friend could admire them.

"This place is awesome, check out that penny!" Kid Flash zipped up to the giant coin, craning his head back to admire the size from right at its base. It stood easily five times as tall as he was. Robin laughed at his friend's fascination.

"There used to be a nickle, but I backed the batmobile into it. Broke it right in half."

"Batman let you _drive_ the batmobile?"

Robin grinned mischievously.

"Not really."

"Ah, I get it." Kid followed his friend further into the center of the cave. As they passed a few cluttered tables, the ginger noticed something. "It smells funny here, like my uncle's lab." He took a breath in and wrinkled his nose. "What is that?"

"Bats is analyzing a freeze-gun he got off one of his rogues. He's trying to reverse-engineer it."

"Oh man, this place is _so_ cool!" Kid was back to examining some of the Batman's 'trophies.' "That's a giant dinosaur!"

Robin laughed, amused by his elder friend's state of fascination.

"Where do you and the Flash hang out?"

The ginger frowned at his junior.

"My Aunt's house."

Robin had himself another good laugh at Kid's expense, who retaliated only by sticking his tongue out in a childish fashion. When the boy wonder settled himself, the speedster continued.

"I can't get over how neat this is. I'm definitely gonna have to start my own collection of souvenirs. What's he like, anyway?"

Robin leaned back against a table as Kid continued to examine Batman's collection.

"Batman? Uh, I don't know. He's alright – for batman. I don't really agree with him some times. Not like you and The Flash. I bet you guys hardly every argue."

"Nah, I argue enough with my own dad." The speedster gave a dry chuckle as he approached a giant playing card with an eerily familiar face. The corners were marked with a J, while the image itself was the criminal maniac, the Joker. "Flash says Batman's kinda off. And he knows it. That's why he gets so many lunatics runnin' at him." A shadow passed over the Kid's back, and thinking it Robin, he continued talking as he turned. "'Cause he's a lunatic himsel-"

Batman – _the Dark Knight, _Batman – stared down at the ginger boy with an unforgiving frown, half of his body concealed in shadow.

"Holy-" The speedster's body froze up. He felt every muscle in his body tense, the hairs on the back of his neck standing up as he began to vibrate, just barely. "-Crap."

"What do you think you're doing _here?_"

Kid Flash was gone before the dark legend finished his sentence, nothing but a gust of wind left where he was standing just a second before.

* * *

><p>On his seventh lap of the world, Flash caught up with him.<p>

"Hey, Kiddo!" he called. Wally didn't have to turn to know his uncle was hot on his heels and would be beside him in a matter of seconds. "Ease up there." But Wally was still tense, every muscle still prepped for action and his heart rattling in his ribcage.

"UncleBarryIsaw theBatmaninthecave whenIwasn'tsupposedtobethere andheheardmecallhimalunatic andIdon'twanttodieyet I'mstillyoungohcrap ohcrapohmyheart." Wally wasn't even sure _he_ understood what he was saying. The words he was forming in his head came out jumbled and rushed when he tried to speak. Whether or not he understood, Flash was running at the boy's side, matching his pace perfectly.

Eight laps.

"So that's why you're out here? Batman's sure got the whole first impressions thing down to an art, right?"

"First impressions?" squeaked Kid. "Oh god, is that what that was? He was making an _impression? _Oh god and I- Oh god. Ohgodohgod ohgodohsweetbabyjesus Icalledhimalunatic." Somehow, being shaky and wired gave the young speedster the energy he needed to go even faster.

"Must've been quite the meeting," Barry mused, matching his protege's pace naturally. "What were you doing in Gotham?"

"Dick," Wally gasped, breathless. "When we had that party thing he said he wanted to talk to me and that I was supposed to meet him in Gotham tonight so I did and we met and nowIknowwhoheis andIknowwhoIam ImeanheknowswhoIam and-"

Nine laps.

"Wally, take it easy. No matter what sort of impression you made, I can guarantee you Batman can't catch you at this speed. Slow down."

Hearing the logic in his mentor's words, Kid Flash did his best to slow his pace. What he did adjust his speed to wasn't that much of an improvement, but it definitely was a start.

"Why didn't you tell me you were going into Gotham?"

"Dick asked me to keep it a secret when he told me. I didn't know why at the time, but I guess he didn't tell-" he cut himself off, afraid that if he continued he would kick into jibberish again.

"Okay, so you went to meet Dick and met Batman instead?"

"Dick was showing me the Batcave, thought it would be cool. And it was cool, you should see the stuff he keeps in there."

"_Richard_ brought _you_ to the Batcave?"

"Yeah."

Ten laps.

"Okay...alright...and Batman caught you snooping around where you shouldn't be?"

"I wasn't snooping, I was invited there, I just said some things he probably would've been better off _not_ hearing me say."

"Calling him a lunatic?"

"Oh god. Oooh god I called him a lunatic."

Wally was going faster again.

"Breathe, Wally, you're fine. It was just a bad scare. Batman does that." Barry watched as his nephew threaded his fingers in his hair and pressed his palms to his head, doing just as he was asked and taking in a large breath. He let it out slowly, seeming to calm a little more, so Barry continued. "He's not going to hurt you. He's part of the reason I'm out here right now."

"Wait, what?"

Eleven laps.

"Well, I wouldn't have known you were circling the world with such an urgency if he hadn't called me to tell me he'd found my apprentice snooping around his headquarters."

"I wasn't snooping," the kid protested, but his earlier state of panic seemed to have worn itself out. He spoke again, quieter. "He called you?"

"Batman and I are friends, believe it or not. Have you figured out who he is, yet?" Barry searched his nephew's young face. His words had hinted that Batman's identity would not be that hard to deduce with the information the kid already had. This news was motivation enough for Wally to calm down even further so he could properly think things through.

Exactly what Barry wanted.

"Well, his sidekick Robin is Dick, and you're a friend of his. You...you knew about Dick before I did, which doesn't really make any sense considering you aren't _his_ friend."

"There you go."

"Is...is he Mr. Wayne?"

"Only as long as you agree to not know about this until I clear it with him."

"Oh...wow..."

Twelve laps, and Wally was finally beginning to slow. He was quiet for a while, lost in thought as he gradually got slower and slower. Finally, he came to a halt somewhere in Arizona. He bent over, his hands on his knees as he heaved for breath. He'd travelled an incredible amount of distance in a respectable amount of time and was unsurprisingly quite exhausted. Barry put a warm hand on the Kid's back and rubbed soothingly.

"Feeling better, kiddo?"

"Somewhat," he breathed, shaking his head to clear it. His legs hurt. "Thanks Uncle Barry."

"Hey, you've nothing to thank me for. I couldn't just let you run yourself ragged out here alone."

Wally smiled weakly, then straightened up, holding his hands out in front of him and watching them vibrate. Barry watched this, chuckled quietly, then turned around and crouched down.

"Hop on, Kid, I'll give you a ride home."

"I can run," Wally protested lamely, face flushing from embarrassment, afraid his mentor was unhappy with his endurance or something of the like – as if he'd done something to disappoint Barry. However, the ginger was only overreacting. He looked tired, he was breathing hard and had just run a dozen laps of the world at an impressive pace, Barry was only looking out for his nephew.

"I know you can, but I think you've done enough of that for one day. You look exhausted." Wally hesitated, prompting Barry to cast his apprentice a warm smile and continue. "Come on, hot shot, I won't tell anyone."

Admittedly too tired to argue and inwardly glad he didn't have to run all the way home after that emotional adventure and physical workout, Wally hopped on his uncle's back. Barry stood straight, making sure he had a firm grip before blasting off to Central, leaving nothing but dust where the pair stood seconds before.

* * *

><p><strong>DREM YOL LOK.<br>(Giant nickles to the people who know what's been consuming my time lately)**

**So hi. Here's your (short) chapter. It's short because the next two are the last two, so yeah. I have them done, I just keep forgetting to update. So what you should do, so I don't keep forgetting, is remind me to update via review 8D Because those come up on my phone and are like, "HEY, READ ME" so I do and they're like "SOMEONE WAS NICE ENOUGH TO REVIEW, GET YOUR ASS TO UPDATING, WOMAN!" and I'm like "OKAY, PHONE," and then people stare at me.**

**Thanks so much for reading!**

**Toodles~**

**Shmee **


	7. Chapter 7

"Alright, your turn."

Robin shifted on the rooftop, propping his elbow on his knee and leaning forward, making a face in thought.

"Okay, Jimmy puts a nail into a tree to mark his height at six years old. Ten years later, Jimmy returns at sixteen to see how much higher the nail is. If the tree grows five centimetres a year, how much higher would the nail be?"

Kid Flash stared at his friend for a moment before leaning back, his weight on his hands behind him.

"Dude, you're not even trying. It wouldn't be any higher. Trees grow from the top."

"Fine, that was an easy one."

"No, _this_ is an easy one. You put a bug in a jar. Every minute the amount of bugs in the jar doubles. At 11:59 pm, the jar is half full. At what time will there be no more room inside the jar?"

"Midnight."

"See? Easy." The teenaged speedster yawned and stretched his arms above his head. "Speaking of. What time is it?"

"Just past midnight, coincidentally." Robin watched as his elder friend produced another energy bar from the compartments in the braces on his wrist.

"Last one," he remarked idly. When he spoke again, it was around a mouthful of granola. "Dude, if this is what patrol is like for you every night, I feel for you. This is boring."

"Yeah, but a quiet night is better for the city. I can't complain."

Kid grunted in agreement, making short work of the energy bar as he stared out over the city of Gotham. It had been four years since his very first visit to the city, but it still seemed as mysterious and dark a place as ever. The lights certainly provided a nice view in the dark of night, but the speedster could never imagine living here. He preferred Central.

"I'm bored. Your city is boring," said Kid after a lengthy pause. He polished off the last of his snack and brushed stray crumbs from his uniform. "Let's play I spy."

"I spy?" scoffed the younger boy. "What are you, six? That's such a kid's game!"

"Hey! Don't be dissing I Spy. That game makes many a road trip a little more bearable."

"Road trip? When have you ever been on a road trip? You could go wherever you wanted in like, no time at all."

"Yeah, but civilians drive cars. We can't always run everywhere. We gotta put up a normal front every one in a while."

Robin snickered.

"You? Normal?"

He wasn't surprised by the sudden, playful smack upside the head. Robin laughed at the exchange, and when their chuckling settled, stared over his city wistfully.

It wasn't often Bruce let Wally join him on patrol, but having his friend around certainly made the night more bearable. Patrol on his own was lonely and boring and more often than not, completely unnecessary. Despite the rumours, Gotham wasn't _always_ under the threat of some deranged maniac.

Only once in a while.

But with a good friend to kill time with, Dick found he actually _enjoyed_ patrol. It gave the two friends time to catch up with one another, to trade stories and keep each other up-to-date with the happenings in their daily lives and respective cities. When they ran out of news to share, they would turn to simple games to pass the time, or make idle conversation about comics or computers.

This was one of those nights where they'd run out of stories to tell and decided to pass the hours trading riddles, each boy trying to outsmart the other.

Which was a challenge, considering they were both remarkably intelligent, though their fields of expertise varied slightly. Robin was good with the software – the programming behind machines and was an adept hacker. Kid Flash on the other hand, was adept with the hardware. He could take things apart and rebuild them perfectly in no time at all, and had many a schematic for useful devices memorized should he ever need to build something in a pinch. In short, Dick was good with numbers and math. Wally was good with his hands – he was all about the sciences.

With each boy equipped with a brain built for thinking and solving, riddles were a good, entertaining way to pass the time.

Well, they would be if Wally didn't have the attention span of a goldfish.

"Aw man, I'm hungry."

"Again? You've been downing those bars since we got up here!"

"I can't help it. I've got a-"

"Ridiculous metabolism. I know. How do other people react when they see how much you eat? ...And then notice that you manage to stay scrawny."

Kid Flash feigned offence.

"I'm not scrawny! Look at these muscles!" To demonstrate, the teenager flexed his arms in that typical, body builder fashion. Because of his metabolism and the amount of physical labour Kid Flash did in a day, all of his muscles were well developed. There probably wasn't an ounce of fat on his body.

"Okay, but you eat like you weigh five hundred pounds."

"I'm five hundred pounds in spirit," said Kid with a grin, reclining back on his hands once more and gazing up at the stars. His stomach rumbled quietly, but he paid it no mind. "If anyone complains, I tell 'em. I've got a killer metabolism and I do a lot of running."

"Well yeah, I guess there's no harm in that."

"'Course not."

Now, the elder boy flopped onto his back and yawned loudly. Robin contented himself by swinging his legs over the side of the rooftop and staring down into the city, his eyes habitually scanning for what may lurk in the shadows.

Then, as if by divine timing, something in the darkness shifted.

"Hey!" Robin swatted at his friend's leg, who was upright in an instant. "Look!" Already, Robin was shifting to crouch on the rooftop. The pair stared down into the empty streets below and at one dark alleyway in particular. Two large men pressed themselves to the walls, running from shadow to shadow. They wore balaclavas over their faces and similar dark sweaters. One of them carried a fair sized box in his hands.

"What do you think they're doing out dressed like that at this hour?"

"Nothing good. Come on. Let's follow them."

"I'll tail 'em on the ground."

Robin nodded, already having launched his grapple to a neighbouring rooftop. As he swung out into the darkness, Kid Flash dashed down the side of the building. The pair tailed the men to a darker part of the city, where they stopped to open the box and admire their prize just outside a factory warehouse. They dark duo had managed to swindle some form of coloured gem, large and probably valuable. They whispered hushed words to one another that neither boy could accurately make out before shutting the gem away in the box and vanishing into the factory.

Kid Flash appeared next to Robin, who'd perched himself on the roof of the factory and was now crossing to find an entry like skylights or a vent.

"Did you recognize the stone?"

"No. But I don't think they paid for that. Catch what they were saying?"

Kid shook his head.

"Alright, well we're just going to have to go in and find out, then."

Crouching over a skylight, the young boy lifted the glass pane with practised ease, setting it aside without making a sound. He fixed his grapple to the side of the window, then repelled down to the factory floor. Kid Flash waited a moment or so, then followed by sliding down the grapple cable. He landed quietly beside his young friend, though he only knew that because he brushed against the boy. It was pitch black.

"I can't see a thing," muttered the ginger under his breath, squinting into the darkness.

"Me neither. Try your infrared."

Wally was already in the process of pulling his goggles down when the boy suggested using them. What he saw through the tinted lenses was confusing. There was heat _everywhere_, like a thick, yellowish fog surrounding them.

"Robin, something isn't right."

The room suddenly erupted into flames, originating from somewhere in the back and surging forward in a wave of fire. Robin retreated as much as he could behind his cape, hiding his nose and mouth in an attempt to minimize the impending damage, but there was no need for this precaution.

Acting in the instant the fire was started, Kid Flash began circling his younger friend. The resulting cyclone he created kept the flames from the blast at bay, preventing either of them from being burned. Robin still kept his cape in front of his mouth, simply to shield himself from the smoke what whipped around the room. The speedster only stopped running when the flames had subsided into small, harmless fires that hard started atop of crates or around dormant machinery.

"So. Trap?" said Kid as he skidded to a halt beside his friend.

"Trap," agreed Robin, withdrawing a retractable Bo staff from his belt.

"Oh don't flatter yourself," cooed a voice. Both boys whirled to face a lone man standing in the empty space of the warehouse. While Kid Flash had never seen the green uniform before and found the whole question-mark theme to be laughable, Robin was not amused. "You are not the ones I am trying to trap. But _you, _bird-boy, are the bait."

As if these words had been a signal – and they likely were – hired help slunk out of their hiding places, armed with bats and clubs and solid looking pipes.

"I'll take the goonies," said the ginger with a grin, "you take the leprechaun."

"Deal."

The Kid was gone in a fitting flash of colour, while Robin dashed forward at a much more human pace towards the villain known as the Riddler.

It was impressive that the duo handled a surprise attack so fluidly. Kid Flash zipped from opponent to opponent, dodging strikes meant to break bones and returning with one or two well placed, super speed hits. Robin met the green costumed kingpin head on, delivering a relentless series of blows that the man struggled to parry with his question-mark shaped staff.

"Hey Riddler," taunted the boy with a wide grin, "I got one for you. What's black and blue and _green_ all over?" Robin jabbed the man in the stomach as a crude hit, distracted only momentarily by the call of his friend from somewhere behind him.

"Seriously dude?" Kid Flash's voice was unamused. "You _had_ to go there. Of all the cliche jokes...I mean, _come on,_ even I wouldn't try that one!" The boy blurred into motion before Robin could defend his choice in mid-battle banter, which was probably for the best, for it allowed the acrobat to keep his attention on his target.

The Riddler was driven further and further back by the advancing child, whose blows gave no room for retaliation.

"Where's the Bat, boy?"

"On vacation," replied Robin flatly, knocking Edward back a few more paces. Soon, the villain would be against the wall and with nowhere to run.

"And he sends children to babysit his fair city?"

The Riddler was smacked solidly across the jaw by the end of Robin's staff.

"We're not _children,_" the boy shot back, missing a second swipe for the man's face, "and we're more than enough to handle the likes of you, Riddler. If you can't even beat me, how do you expect to take on Batman?"

The man stumbled back a few more paces, stopping himself on the solid concrete wall that marked one side of the factory. Robin stood confidently, both hands securely around his staff and smiling slyly. What he wasn't expecting was for the man to suddenly straighten out and mirror the boy's expression with a sinister smile of his own.

"Where do you all _come from?_" Kid Flash sent a man twice his size sprawling to the ground with a solid punch to the jaw, taking a long enough pause to sweep the warehouse and admire the litter of bodies on the stone floor. Near the other side of the large room, Robin backed the green man into a wall. They were winning this.

As another man lunged at him from behind, Kid sidestepped smoothly out of the way, sticking out his foot to trip the thug. The man groaned, pushing himself to his knees. When he looked up, the young hero was standing just above him.

"'Sup?"

A kick to the head knocked the large man out cold.

A growl brought the teen's attention down – not to the floor, but to his stomach, which rumbled loudly in protest to such activity while empty. The rumbling was accompanied with a wave of nausea and a sudden shaky sensation. Hoping to ease the pain, the boy pressed a hand into him abdomen as he kicked another sneak-attack attempt in the face.

When both feet were on the ground again, Kid Flash stumbled a little.

"Couldn't you guys have done this a little earlier in the night?" he complained, punching aside a third guy with a shaking fist. When the last man clattered to the floor unconscious, Kid Flash was free to press into his stomach with both hands. He turned towards where he'd last seen Robin herding their big baddie of the night. He did so just in time to see a solid iron cage drop down on top of his young friend.

"Rob!"

Instantly, the youth went to grasp at the bars that trapped him, only to yelp and retreat as an electric shock leaped from the iron to the boy wonder's hands. The Riddler laughed, paused in order to cough when the sensation irritated his bruised lungs, then continued with a quieter chuckle.

"How fitting, I've caged the bird," the man snickered.

"But not me, you _stupid_ leprechaun!"

Kid Flash had crossed the space between him and the villain in a heartbeat, delivering a solid punch to the side of the slender man's jaw. The Riddler stumbled back, rubbing at his jaw as his eyes fell upon the sight of the panting, angered speedster. He studied the boy for a moment, then spoke slowly and carefully, as if only thinking aloud.

"Do I need to, though? It looks like taking out all those men by yourself was a little taxing."

"Still got enough juice to run you into the dirt."

"And leave your friend trapped?"

"Ah, Right. Let me rephrase. Still got enough juice to _demand_ you let him go _before_ I run you into the dirt."

"I'm afraid I can't do that. You are the one who doesn't belong in this scenario."

Kid Flash made an annoyed face and tensed his muscles as if he was about to sprint into action. The Riddler pointed his staff in the boy's direction, who might have reacted faster to the threat on a full stomach. Instead, the youth let out a cry when an arc of electricity crossed the space between sidekick and villain.

But something was unusual about the shock. Instead of discharging into the ground and leaving the boy in a fair amount of pain and an even worse disposition, the shock continued to circulate through the speedster's veins.

"KF!"

Wally barely heard his friend's cry as his entire nervous system was set ablaze. His muscles seized up, bringing the boy to his knees, the dim warehouse lit up by the blue of the electricity sparking around his hunched body.

"But...I've heard such _fantastic_ things about the Flash." The Riddler approached the boy, whose muscles were so tense in contractions that he couldn't even lift his head to direct his glare at the villain. "I can't help but to wonder what makes a speedster such as him _tick?"_ Edward nudged the child with his foot, knocking him over onto his side. "Of course, catching the Flash has always been too daunting a task when I have so many other things to worry about in a day...but with you _here_, at my mercy, I have the next best thing."

The red-headed boy struggled to roll over onto his hands and knees again with the notion that he could work himself back to his feet with enough time.

"Leave him out of this, Riddler! You've got me! Batman will come!"

Robin's pleas were ignored.

"I would've preferred the Flash himself in this situation, but his less dangerous _sidekick_ will do nicely."

The Kid cried out loudly as the shock seemed to intensify. He gasped for air, his lungs constricted as every one of his muscles contracted around them. Riddler watched, intrigued, as the boy managed to will himself to roll onto his hands, though to think he could do much more was naive. Entertained, the villain lifted his foot to knock his trapped speedster over a second time, only to hesitate as the shape of the youth below him began to blur around the edges.

"What are you-"

"_Being...Dangerous."_

Suddenly, the ground exploded beneath them, sending the boy flying upwards and the Riddler into the electrified cage which trapped Robin. As the electricity coursed through his body, he couldn't bring himself to react when Kid Flash appeared in front of him, both of his hands pressing into the man's shoulders and forcing his back into the bars of the cage. He could only cry out in agony as the electricity burned at his muscles.

The electricity plaguing the speedster seemed to short circuit the electrical power of the cage. Kid's actions had gotten rid of both his own electric charge as well as the charge of the iron bars. Satisfied he'd levelled the playing field, the boy tightened his grip on the madman and flung him into a stack of wooden crates nearby.

With the charge on the cage gone, Robin was free to heave at the bars, lifting the cage high enough for him to wedge his stave under. From there, he was able to lift the prison high enough to tip it over onto its side and gain his freedom.

Kid Flash was still standing, though hunched over and swaying. As Robin approached, the boy tossed a cheeky grin over his shoulder.

"See? Your city is boring."

A stream of blood leaked from the teen's nose, bright red against the unhealthy pale of his skin.

"KF? Everything okay?"

Instead of answering, the boy swayed further, more blood beginning to spill from the teen's nose. Alarms went off in Dick's mind as Wally's eyes rolled back into his head and he dropped to the floor, silent and unmoving.

* * *

><p><strong>How now, Brown Cow?<strong>

**You know what makes me smile? All of your reviews. Don't ever stop being so awesome, friends, or I will cry.**

**Seriously, I mean like, bawl-my-eyes-out, tears streaming down my face, snivelling, red-faced unattractive cry. We don't want that.**

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**Thanks for reading this far!**

**Toodles~ (In a while, Crocodile.)**

**Shmee**


	8. Chapter 8

Robin rushed to his companion's side, hitting his knees and grabbing the elder boy's shoulders.

"KF! KF! Wake up!" The boy wonder gave the young speedster a few gentle shakes before setting him down and checking for a pulse. At the steady beating under his fingertips, he breathed a sigh of relief. Wally was only unconscious, likely as a result of being shocked senseless and running himself ragged on an empty stomach. There was a reason the boy kept snacks on him, after all, and he'd used up his last one when they were still sitting atop the roof together and that felt like it happened a lifetime ago.

It wouldn't be too hard to lift the ginger off the floor and carry him out – he was likely heavier than Robin, but that was not his concern. Robin could lift his own weight in his sleep if he felt the need, lifting a little more for a short period of time would be no trouble at all. What the dark-haired boy was worried about was the friend which he would be moving. What was wrong? What had happened? What was he supposed to do to help? Would moving him even be helpful? What if he was making a mistake by disturbing him?

"Alright, taking the chance," the boy's words were spoken to himself, due to the fact that the only person he was really eager to talk to was out cold.

Gradually, Dick pulled KF off the floor and up onto his back, drawing the speedster's arms around his neck and heading for the exit once he was sure Wally wouldn't slide off. The door out had been left open by a thug that had been joining the fight, and moonlight poured in from the opening – a beacon of light in the darkness.

The door slammed shut before Robin could get through it. He was forced to halt at the sight of a dreadfully familiar face blocking what had been his intended escape route.

The figure now standing in front of their exit was large, larger than what was normal – thanks to the substance being pumped into his body through a tube connected to the back of his neck. His face was covered by what looked to have once been a mask seen in wrestling and it did nothing to hide the wide, maniacal grin on the man's face.

"Hello there, tiny bird."

That voice was tinged with a Spanish accent.

"Bane."

Robin had only encountered him one time before, whereas Batman had requested he keep his distance until the drug-induced giant was taken care of.

"I don't suppose the Bat is here with you, eh?"

"As if I'd tell you."

The young boy felt incredibly dwarfed by the villain, and with his friend out cold on his back, Robin felt far more vulnerable than he was comfortable with. He slowly and carefully began to retreat backwards, his first goal being to put as much distance between himself and the second villain of the night.

"You don't have to," Bane noticed the child's slight steps backwards and advanced. "I will settle for tearing your wings off now, little Robin, to save me the trouble of doing it later."

Bane charged with an inhuman roar, the sound kicking Robin's heart into a frenzy. He turned to flee, barely twisting out of the way of the bullish charge. He did not stop to face his opponent – with Kid Flash as deadweight, there was no chance he'd be able to fight back properly – and instead continued to run, hoping to somehow work his way around Bane to get to the exit again.

It occurred to him that he might have a chance of fighting the man if he put Wally down, but with _that_ maniac running around, Dick didn't want to chance putting his friend in harm's way.

Bane was giving chase, his hulking arms reaching to grab either of the children he pursued.

"Come here, puny bird," he cooed, far too sweetly for someone his size. "I will deliver your body in pieces to your master."

Robin was gradually herded into a corner by the charging lunatic, spinning to face Bane head-on as he advanced on the pair. The man's lips were stretched into a wide grin, wasting no time on words as he charged again. Dick braced himself for impact, sucking in a breath and praying to whatever god existed that at least some of his bones would remain unbroken when this was over.

There was a terrific smashing sound of flesh hitting stone, accompanied with a numb sensation that enveloped the boy's entire body.

At least it was better than pain.

It was then that Robin realized his eyes had closed at the last possible second. Opening them was both relieving and confusing. The boy was unscathed and the giant was under a pile of rubble that might have once a been wall.

Before he could spend too long trying to piece together what had happened, the answer came to him in the form of Kid Flash's voice behind him.

"Dude, put me down and face this guy...don't worry...'bout me."

Robin shifted so he could sling Wally's arm around his shoulder and better look at his friend. The teen's skin was stark white, blood now dripped not only from his nose, but from the corner of his mouth as well. Whatever damage had been healed by Kid Flash's speed to bring him back into consciousness in the first place had returned and worsened in a matter of seconds.

KF had tried that vibrating trick again, only this time, he'd increased the intensity so that _both_ boys became immaterial for just long enough. That would be incredibly cool, were it not for the fact that straining himself with that technique appeared to be killing him.

"I can't do that, KF. And you can't keep doing _that_, you're gonna take _yourself_ out, and how would that look in the superhuman history books?"

"Pretty...damn...badass..."

Wally was struggling to stand on his own, to take his weight off the smaller form of his young friend. Meanwhile, the pile of rock that had been a solid concrete wall just seconds earlier was shifting as Bane forced himself out.

"Come on, we gotta get outta here."

Robin did his best to help his friend cross the warehouse to the door, dedicating all of his willpower not to take the time to look back and see the angry mutant no doubt about to crush them both. When Bane's arm came sweeping into the boy's side, several things shot through his mind.

The first being that he was definitely going to have some nasty bruises if he made it out of this alive. His ribs had taken a direct hit from Bane, who'd knocked them aside like they were nothing. Secondly, he was glad that _he_ had been the one to take the direct blow, and not his speedster friend whose condition was already bad enough.

This thought, however, was quickly regretted when they came to an abrupt stop – KF hit the concrete first, then unintentionally cushioned Robin with his body as he was sandwiched between the younger boy and the wall they'd collided with.

Dick picked himself off of his friend then turned to the speedster in concern. Wally was slumped against the stone, his entire body limp and boasting a new, bloody head wound that made Robin cringe. What was probably the most alarming thing about his friend's worsening condition was that Kid Flash was entirely unresponsive – but his eyes were open, lightless and downcast.

"Wally-" Robin hissed, his voice breaking with worry. He couldn't help how his mind jumped to the worst possible conclusion, and he couldn't prevent the blurring of his vision as his eyes clouded with tears of pain and sorrow.

He heard Bane laughing behind him.

"Say your prayers, boy, I'm about to send you to god."

Still shaken by tears and shock, the boy rose and turned to face the giant. His staff found its way into his hands and Robin braced himself for battle, determined to hold his ground in front of his friend. He didn't dignify Bane with a retort, but he would _not_ run. He couldn't leave Wally lying in the man's destructive path and with the pain blossoming in his side, he wasn't so sure he could carry them both to safety anymore.

His only option was to stand his ground, every muscle in his body locking into place as Bane charged.

_Sorry, Bruce. I overestimated mysel-_

Bane was smashed aside by a streak of red. Three seconds later, Robin was buffeted by an intense gust of wind that threw his cape over his head and blinded him temporarily. When he shook himself free, a dark and intimidating shape towered above him, whitened eyes narrowing down on him.

Intimidating, yes, but also the most welcome sight to Robin at that moment. He practically melted with relief, falling forward into the arms of his mentor and guardian.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry," the boy breathed as Batman steadied him, his hold firm on his arms.

"Robin. What happened?"

"Riddler commotion...attracted Bane...Wa- Kid...Kid Flash...hurt real bad." Robin was shaky with adrenaline and fatigue, his earlier composure crashing around him now that he was no longer required to be strong. His eyes wandered to where Bane was launched back into the pile of rubble his second crash had created. The Flash zipped to where the man lay dazed atop the mound of stone, pulled the tube from his neck and with the same hand, smashed the villain's head into the stone.

With that, Bane was out cold.

But by the time Robin realized this, The Flash was behind him, carefully picking the body of his apprentice off the ground. Dick tried not to notice the way the teen hung limply from the hero's arms.

"Oh god...Wally...I'm so sorry Barry...I couldn't..."

Barry gave the boy a stare that silenced him. It had not been angry or annoyed or disappointed. It had only been understanding.

Robin watched as the Flash lifted his young associate higher, putting his ear to the youth's chest. There were a few long moments of silence, during which Batman's grip on Robin's shoulders tightened in support.

"He's alive," said Flash, "don't worry, Robin, he's alive."

The air drained from Dick's lungs, and were it not for Bruce's hands keeping him upright and steady, the boy probably would've collapsed, overwhelmed with emotion.

"I'm so sorry," he repeated, now tilting his head back to look up into the stoic face of his mentor. "We tried to handle things ourselves...we should've..."

"It's alright, Robin." It was the Flash who spoke, approaching the dynamic duo with his unmoving miniature held tightly in his arms. The dark knight continued where the scarlet speedster left off.

"Between the two of you, taking out the amount of thugs you did – and then Nigma as well – is impressive. Bane is just unfortunate circumstance. This is not your fault."

Robin wasn't sure he'd survived Bane's assault after all – Batman was _praising_ them?

"Still, you _should_ have called _someone_," Flash spoke in an exasperated tone. "I can understand acting on instinct, but calling could've saved you two a lot of problems."

"Agreed. In the future, you are to inform _me_ at the sight of trouble on a patrol – not to run off and try to handle the problem yourself. This _will not_ happen again, are we clear?"

A little disappointed that his mentor's praise had been so short lived, Robin hung his head and nodded, too shaken to do much more. He was willing to accept any sort of criticism – Wally was okay and they had both survived the ordeal.

Dick was happy enough with that.

Concerned, the dark-haired boy looked once again to Wally, then lifted his stare up to the elder speedster, his eyes wide with unspoken enquiries.

"He'll be fine," Flash assured, "give him a couple days and he'll be running around rambling about 'the time he almost died.'"

Satisfied and inwardly envying the rapid healing of speedsters, Robin followed the Flash out of the building. Behind them was a warehouse full of the unconscious bodies of dozens of hired thugs, including Arkham regulars the Riddler and Bane. Though Bane's subduing was not their doing, the amount the two sidekicks did accomplish was in hindsight, quite impressive.

As Robin glanced momentarily back at Batman – who was calling the commissioner for cleanup – the boy could feel his newest promise already being broken.

If the moment arose, he _would_ do it again. But he would be stronger, better and smarter. Next time, they wouldn't need their mentors to come to their rescue. Next time, they would win.

* * *

><p>As Barry had predicted, Wally was back on his feet in just over two days. He was back out in costume in a matter of four. Barry had tried to ask the boy to take it easy for a little longer to make sure he recovered properly, though as he had spoken he knew Wally would not.<p>

The first thing the ginger had done as soon as he'd been able was run out to Gotham to rave about how awesome they'd been to his young friend.

"Dude, I actually _did _it! I _vibrated_ through things! The first time hadn't gone exactly as planned, but it wasn't supposed to, but that second time – with Bane and you and me not getting crushed – that was me! Actually doing it properly!"

"Yeah, but you gave yourself a nosebleed and...a _face-_bleed, pretty much."

"Well, it's not perfect yet, and when I told Barry I'd done it, he said it probably only worked because I was so exhausted I didn't have the energy to move our molecules as fast as I usually do, and it's certainly better than accidentally blowing us both up. Which is kind of good...but I tried it again a few hours ago and blew up a portion of my back yard. Baby steps."

Dick laughed, earning a wide smile from his older friend.

"Barry's still kinda mad with me about the whole thing, though."

"Really?" the young acrobat was genuinely curious. The way he remembered it, Flash hadn't looked angry at all.

"Yeah. There's no denying I took a bit of a beating and a lot of it was self-inflicted, trying to do things I can't really do properly. He was fuming when I woke up, I got an earful. '_If you ever put yourself in __danger like that deliberately again, I swear I will nail you to the floor!'"_

"Well, you did get beat up pretty badly."

"Oh, and you _didn't?_"

"Not as much."

"Only because I was there to save your sorry butt."

Wally was swatted over the head playfully before both boys settled back with quiet chuckles. They were seated on Dick's bed, cross-legged and facing each other, eating a snack of cheese sandwiches that Alfred had prepared for them. Between them sat a silver tray with two glasses of milk and their plates balanced on the surface.

"You know, Barry promised me he'd take me to the Justice League headquarters, so long as I listened him and stopped being so reckless."

"Really?" Dick grinned. "I'm gonna have to ask Bruce to take me too, then. Can't have you getting a one up on me."

Wally stuck out his tongue.

Then there was a long pause.

Four years had passed since the day the two boys had done the very same thing they were doing here and now. When Dick had only been a boy of eight and Wally, ten. They'd gotten along perfectly from the start, seeming naturally in tune with one another after only a couple hours together.

A lot had happened since then.

Dick Grayson had become Robin – the young, talented ward of the infamous Batman. He'd proven himself a formidable opponent and a tremendous ally, not to be taken lightly. His age was nothing to judge him by. He was wise and experienced beyond his years.

Wally West had created the mantle of Kid Flash, the impulsive but powerful apprentice to the Flash. Over the years, he'd brought his top speed closer to that of his mentor's, ever focused on the day he would finally pass it. He was a prodigy of science, a brilliant child even without the superpowers – though he _still_ had troubles believing his aunt and uncle when they told him that. He was someone to be proud of, a force of energy both kinetic and otherwise to be reckoned with.

For Wally, the last four years had been the best of his life.

Meeting Richard had just set the ball in motion. Up until that point, he'd felt a little lonely and alienated from the other kids. Between the tension between himself and his father and his unusual intelligence which – to kids looking to make themselves appear strong and feel better – was something to mock, Wally had always felt _unimportant._

Iris and Barry had always been there to tell him otherwise, but some part of him thought that his aunt and uncle felt obligated to do so – that because they were relatives, they felt it was their _jobs._ He didn't think they actually felt the way they said. He thought they told him those things because it was what he wanted to hear.

But Dick had flipped the switch when he became someone who liked Wally for who he was – someone who frequently told Wally he was _cool_ or _funny_ or _smart – _and had no obligation to do so.

Then, Barry and Iris had been there for him when he needed to be loved, to be appreciated. They never shut him out or turned him away. They were patient and understanding, willing to take the time to listen to him where his mother and father would not. Their door was always open. They were willing to build him back up when he had fallen.

And Barry, who had been patient and understanding with him from the very first day they'd met, was willing to take Wally under his wing even after the boy had abused his trust and endangered himself. Even after Wally had challenged the man and pushed his childish ideology on him, after the boy had _forced_ him into accepting a partner, Barry had been nothing but accepting. Nothing but forgiving.

He didn't need the costume and the super speed. Even before Wally had known the truth, to him, Barry had always been a hero.

Wally was lucky. He knew this now. It had taken him four years to begin to start really appreciating it, but Wally had found himself the best people to grow up with. He had a best friend that knew him as well as a brother, who understood him maybe even better. He had a second mother, who had always been sympathetic to his troubles as a child and always thought of him where others would leave him out, who always had love to share with him when he needed it most. He had a mentor, someone to help him navigate the troubles of youth and the added hurdle of superpowers while understanding the kind of person he was and loving him regardless of his faults and mistakes.

Wally had _found_ a family that made his immediate one pale in comparison. A family that accepted him for everything he was and was not.

And to think: this realization – this understanding of what Wally had all along and what he'd gained along the way – had started with something as simple as a friendly visit and two boys eating cheese sandwiches.

Everything after was a blur.

* * *

><p><strong>Like a true nature's child,<br>We were born  
>Born to be wild.<br>We can climb so high,  
><strong>**I never want to die. **

**AAAAAAAND SCENE.**

**That's a wrap, folks! Yay for being able to put this on complete now! Wooooo! -little happy dance-**

**So. I'm definitely not done writing for this fandom, but I have another story I've promised myself I'm going to finish. It may take a while, but I'mma finish it, and then I will be back here to burn your eyes with more of my brain child in writing. Isn't that exciting? I love burning out eyeballs!  
><strong>

**In the meantime, I guarantee, the more people who review here, the faster and decided I need to do more, so um. Yeah. LOOK OUT FOR MY NAME, FRIENDS, I'M SURE YOU'LL SEE IT SOONER OR LATER.**

**Super huge thank yous to all of you who took the time to review in previous chapters, and thanks in advance to those of you who will review and to those new readers who will review after they've torn through this story, right? 8D Your support is always appreciated, I love hearing from each and every one of you, and for everyone who reviews this chapter with an account, I promise to write back to answer any questions or just say hi. **

**And that I love you.**

**And that we should get married.**

**Thanks so much for reading, I really appreciate it!**

**Toodles~**

**Shmee.**

**BOOOOOORRRRN TO BE WIIIIIIIILDD!**

**P.S. I was looking back on some of the previous chapters, and I realized in the sixth chapter, Fanfiction had cut out bits and peices of dialogue. I fixed that. Yay!**


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